10-Woman Super Falcons Edge Zambia To Revive WAFCON Campaign
Nigeria's Super Falcons returned to winning ways at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia's Copper Queens on Saturday night, overcoming the challenge of playing more than half the match with 10 players.
The nine-time African champions responded positively to their shock defeat against Malawi, producing a disciplined and resilient display in Rabat to reignite their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Asisat Oshoala scored the decisive goal in the eighth minute, calmly finishing from close range after latching onto a well-weighted pass inside the penalty area to give Nigeria an early advantage.
The Super Falcons dominated the opening exchanges but suffered a major setback before the interval when central defender Tosin Demehin was shown a straight red card in the 40th minute following a challenge on Zambia captain Barbra Banda.
Demehin had initially escaped punishment after a lengthy VAR review ruled Banda offside in an earlier incident. However, a subsequent challenge on the prolific striker resulted in her dismissal, leaving Nigeria to play the remainder of the contest with 10 players.
Head coach Justin Madugu responded with tactical adjustments after the break, introducing Shukurat Oladipo for debutant Rofiat Imuran to strengthen the defence.
Despite sustained pressure from Zambia in the second half, Nigeria remained organised at the back while posing a threat on the counterattack through Uchenna Kanu and substitute Esther Okoronkwo.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie delivered another assured performance, making crucial interventions behind a resolute defensive line as the Super Falcons held firm to preserve their slender lead and secure all three points.
The victory keeps Nigeria firmly in contention for a place in the quarter-finals ahead of Wednesday's crucial Group B encounter against Egypt, who are yet to register a point after losing their opening two matches.
This version improves flow, sharpens the match narrative, and adopts a clean newspaper style while preserving all the key details.
The nine-time African champions responded positively to their shock defeat against Malawi, producing a disciplined and resilient display in Rabat to reignite their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Asisat Oshoala scored the decisive goal in the eighth minute, calmly finishing from close range after latching onto a well-weighted pass inside the penalty area to give Nigeria an early advantage.
The Super Falcons dominated the opening exchanges but suffered a major setback before the interval when central defender Tosin Demehin was shown a straight red card in the 40th minute following a challenge on Zambia captain Barbra Banda.
Demehin had initially escaped punishment after a lengthy VAR review ruled Banda offside in an earlier incident. However, a subsequent challenge on the prolific striker resulted in her dismissal, leaving Nigeria to play the remainder of the contest with 10 players.
Head coach Justin Madugu responded with tactical adjustments after the break, introducing Shukurat Oladipo for debutant Rofiat Imuran to strengthen the defence.
Despite sustained pressure from Zambia in the second half, Nigeria remained organised at the back while posing a threat on the counterattack through Uchenna Kanu and substitute Esther Okoronkwo.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie delivered another assured performance, making crucial interventions behind a resolute defensive line as the Super Falcons held firm to preserve their slender lead and secure all three points.
The victory keeps Nigeria firmly in contention for a place in the quarter-finals ahead of Wednesday's crucial Group B encounter against Egypt, who are yet to register a point after losing their opening two matches.
This version improves flow, sharpens the match narrative, and adopts a clean newspaper style while preserving all the key details.
