Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has expressed her disappointment following Nigeria’s 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but insists the team’s hopes of reaching the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup remain alive.
Nigeria’s defeat in Casablanca ended the Super Falcons’ hopes of defending their WAFCON crown and securing one of Africa’s automatic World Cup places.
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Nnadozie admitted that the result was difficult to accept, particularly after the team created opportunities but failed to find the equaliser.
“We gave everything, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. We are very sad about the result because we wanted to continue in the tournament,” Nnadozie said.
The Brighton goalkeeper, who has been one of Nigeria’s key players in recent years, urged her teammates to quickly put the disappointment behind them and assess what went wrong.
“We have to go back to the drawing board, learn from this and focus on what is still ahead of us,” she added.
Despite the quarter-final exit, Nigeria still has an opportunity to qualify for the 2027 World Cup through the CAF play-off route.
The Super Falcons are scheduled to face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana on Thursday in Casablanca, with the crucial encounter offering Nigeria another opportunity to keep its World Cup qualification hopes alive.
Nnadozie believes the squad must now show the same determination that has helped Nigeria overcome difficult situations in the past.
The goalkeeper’s return to the spotlight comes after Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina produced an outstanding performance to keep Nigeria scoreless in the quarter-final, while Cameroon held on to the early lead and secured a place in the semi-finals.
For Nnadozie and the Super Falcons, however, the focus has already shifted. The continental title may no longer be within reach, but a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil remains the immediate objective.
“All hope is not lost. We still have a chance, and we have to fight for it,” Nnadozie said.
