The Super Falcons produced a spirited and resilient performance to defeat Zambia 1-0 despite playing with 10 players for more than half the match, breathing new life into their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign on Saturday night in Rabat.
After suffering a shock opening defeat to Malawi, the 10-time African champions responded like true title contenders, with Asisat Oshoala’s early goal proving enough to hand Nigeria a vital three points against the highly-rated Copper Queens.
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Nigeria made a bright start and deservedly took the lead in the eighth minute when Oshoala latched onto a perfectly weighted pass inside the penalty area before calmly slotting beyond the Zambian goalkeeper to send the Super Falcons into an early lead.
The encounter took a dramatic twist before halftime following a series of incidents involving defender Tosin Demehin and Zambia captain Barbra Banda.
Demehin was initially shown a yellow card before a lengthy VAR review ruled Banda offside in the build-up, leading to the caution being withdrawn. However, minutes later, another challenge involving the pair resulted in the Nigerian defender being sent off in the 40th minute, leaving the Super Falcons to play the remainder of the contest with 10 players.
Faced with the numerical disadvantage, head coach Justin Madugu reshuffled his side after the interval, introducing Shukurat Oladipo for debutant Rofiat Imuran to reinforce the defence.
Zambia dominated possession for long periods of the second half, but Nigeria remained disciplined and compact, frustrating the Copper Queens while still posing a threat on the counterattack through Uchenna Kanu and substitute Esther Okoronkwo.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie also delivered an assured display, producing crucial interventions as Nigeria’s reorganised backline stood firm to withstand sustained late pressure and preserve the narrow advantage until the final whistle.
The victory marked Nigeria’s second consecutive WAFCON win over Zambia and revived the Super Falcons’ hopes of reaching the knockout stage following their opening-day setback.
The Super Falcons will now turn their attention to their final Group C fixture against Egypt on Wednesday, August 5, knowing that another positive result would strengthen their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals as they continue their pursuit of a record-extending 11th WAFCON title.
