Nigeria’s Super Falcons wrapped up their preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tanzania’s Twiga Stars in a closed-door international friendly in Casablanca on Thursday.
The defending African champions produced a disciplined performance, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo finding the net to give coach Justin Madugu a winning finish ahead of the continental tournament.
Nigeria made a bright start and deservedly took the lead in the 15th minute. Ajibade calmly slotted home after being brilliantly set up by Rinsola Babajide, handing the Super Falcons a 1-0 advantage that they carried into the halftime break.
With one eye on the upcoming tournament, Madugu used the second half to assess the depth of his squad, introducing several key players, including Folashade Ijamilusi, Uchenna Kanu, Michelle Alozie, Esther Okoronkwo, and other substitutes.
Tanzania responded strongly and found an equaliser in the 79th minute, with the Twiga Stars capitalising on one of their few clear opportunities to level the score.
However, the Super Falcons showed their trademark resilience and regained control in the closing stages.
With just one minute of normal time remaining, Esther Okoronkwo fired home the winning goal in the 89th minute after another excellent assist from captain Ajibade, sealing a deserved 2-1 victory for the nine-time African champions.
The friendly was played behind closed doors in Casablanca after Nigeria’s scheduled warm-up match against Ghana’s Black Queens was cancelled earlier in the week due to unforeseen circumstances.
The encounter gave Madugu one final opportunity to fine-tune his tactics, assess player combinations, and build momentum before the start of the tournament.
Nigeria will now shift full attention to WAFCON 2026, which begins on July 26 in Morocco.
Drawn in Group C, the Super Falcons will begin their title defence against Malawi on July 28 before facing Zambia and Egypt in the remaining group-stage fixtures.
As Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the Super Falcons enter the competition with high expectations as they chase another continental crown under Madugu’s leadership. With confidence boosted by victory over Tanzania, Nigeria will believe they are well-positioned to mount another successful WAFCON campaign.
