Super Falcons coach Madugu says Nigeria will give everything against South Africa in the crucial World Cup qualifying play-off, with the team determined to seize the opportunity and keep their hopes of reaching the tournament alive.
WCQ Play-Off: Super Falcons Ready To Fight For World Cup Spot Against South Africa
Super Falcons coach Madugu says Nigeria will give everything against South Africa in the crucial World Cup qualifying play-off, with the team determined to seize the opportunity and keep their hopes of reaching the tournament alive.
The 10-time African champions missed out on automatic qualification for the global tournament after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
With their semi-final hopes dashed, Nigeria must now overcome fierce rivals South Africa in the play-in fixture for a place in the Inter-Confederation Playoff Tournament, which offers another opportunity to qualify for the World Cup.
The Super Falcons will face Desiree Ellis’ Banyana Banyana at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm on Thursday.
Madugu acknowledged the significance of the encounter and said his team would seize the opportunity to keep Nigeria’s World Cup hopes alive.
“We have a second chance. We have this second opportunity. We are still going to do the best that we can. We’re not leaving anything out.
“We’re going to put in all our best to make sure that we put smiles on the faces of our people because we know what it means to all of us as Nigerians,” Madugu said during his interaction with the media.
Nigeria and South Africa are meeting after both sides failed to reach the semi-finals of the Women’s AFCON, making Thursday’s encounter crucial to their respective World Cup ambitions.
The clash is expected to be another intense chapter in the rivalry between the two African powerhouses, with both teams determined to secure the playoff ticket and remain in contention for a place at the 2027 World Cup.
In the other play-in fixture, Ghana will face Côte d’Ivoire at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca later on Thursday.
