Super Falcons were two goals down to Morocco in the final but comeback repaid Justine Madugu’s faith in his team
Eyebrows were raised when Justine Madugu was appointed as the new Nigeria coach in September last year, having had no head coach experience in international football before taking on the role.
On Saturday the “gamble” – if you call it that – paid off when the Super Falcons came from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The team had not impressed during the group stage, leading to criticism back home that the team were disjointed and uninspiring. Despite this, two wins over Tunisia and Botswana and a draw against Algeria saw Nigeria top their group without conceding a single goal.
Madugu acknowledged that his team “was a work in progress”, but remained confident that his team was on course to achieve what Nigerians call “Mission X” – to win their 10th Wafcon title. Saturday was a testimony to his unbending faith in his team and his coaching methods.
