Ajibade demands winning start

Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade has insisted that nothing less than victory will satisfy the Super Falcons when they begin the defence of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title against Malawi on Tuesday night, PidomNigeria Sports Extra reports.

Speaking at the team’s pre-match press conference in Rabat, the Atletico Madrid forward said the mood in camp was positive and the players were fully focused on making a strong start to their quest for a record-extending 11th WAFCON crown.

“The team’s spirit is high. Everyone is fully focused. We know why we’re here and we are ready to take things one step at a time. So we’re 100 per cent ready,” Ajibade said.

The Super Falcons open their Group C campaign against tournament debutants Malawi at Stade El Barid, with Zambia and Egypt also drawn in the group. While Nigeria are overwhelming favourites, Ajibade said the team would approach the Scorchers with humility and respect, praising the rapid development of women’s football across Africa.

“We’re approaching every team with a sense of humility and respect. Seeing Malawi qualify for WAFCON for the first time shows the progress they are making and the intentional investment in women’s football. Some of their players are competing in the top five leagues, which shows the future of women’s football in Africa is very bright,” she said.

Despite acknowledging the importance of playing attractive football, the Falcons skipper stressed that results remain the priority in tournament football.

“A good performance for the Super Falcons is to win three points because that’s what matters in this tournament. You can talk about how you play, the tactics and everything else, but if you do all that and don’t win, I don’t think it counts for anything.”

Ajibade also rallied Nigerian fans to continue supporting the team throughout the competition, describing their encouragement as a key factor behind the Falcons’ previous successes.

“We see their support, we see their love and how much they want us to win. Their support has always been instrumental to our success. We want them to replicate that energy and even double it because we need it to keep raising the standard and keep flying the flag of our nation high. We will do everything possible to make them proud.”

Beyond the tournament, the 25-year-old urged stakeholders to prioritise creating a safe and supportive environment for female athletes, saying infrastructure alone would not guarantee the growth of women’s football in Nigeria.

“It’s all about creating the right environment. When athletes feel safe to express themselves and develop, participation and retention will increase. Infrastructure is important, but without the right environment, we won’t achieve our goals. Those of us who already have platforms must continue to advocate and be role models for the next generation.”

Nigeria head into the tournament as defending champions after a 2-1 victory over Tanzania in their final warm-up game, while Malawi qualified for the continental showpiece for the first time in their history. Kick-off for Tuesday’s Group C opener is scheduled for 9pm Nigerian time.