Nigeria will begin their quest for a record-breaking tenth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title when they face Tunisia in their Group B opener at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca on today.
The clash marks the first fixture of ‘Mission X’ – Nigeria’s ambitious campaign to reclaim continental supremacy after losing their crown to South Africa in 2022.
Coach Justine Madugu has warned his players against complacency ahead of the historic encounter, emphasising the improved standard of African women’s football.
“They are not minnows any longer as far as football is concerned in Africa. You can’t consider anybody a minnow,” Madugu told reporters on Saturday.
“Looking at the results that were posted in the course of the qualifiers, I think we wouldn’t consider anyone to be a weak team. Yes, some teams could be stronger than the other, but they cannot be considered as weak teams because they also went through the qualifiers, won their matches for them to be here.”
The Super Falcons boss stressed his team’s respect for every opponent despite Nigeria’s superior pedigree in the competition.
“We are not taking anybody for granted, on the assumption that we have won all the previous games against them, and so we think it’s going to be easy. No games will be easy games,” he said.
“We will approach them with all the seriousness they deserve and all the respect that all the teams deserve.”
This fixture represents only the second meeting between both nations at the WAFCON finals, with their previous encounter ending in a goalless draw during the 2008 tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
That stalemate came in Nigeria’s second group match, with the Super Falcons having drawn 1-1 with Ghana in their opener while Tunisia had suffered a 2-1 defeat to South Africa. Nigeria eventually progressed as group runners-up alongside South Africa, whilst Tunisia finished bottom of the group.
he historical record heavily favours the nine-time champions, who remain unbeaten against North African opposition in open play at WAFCON finals, recording four wins and two draws. Their only defeat to a North African side came via penalties against hosts Morocco in the 2022 semi-finals, following a 1-1 draw.
The Super Falcons arrive in Morocco with confidence bolstered by a decent run of form, winning three of their last five matches with notable victories over Algeria, Cameroon, and Ghana.
Tunisia, meanwhile, enter the tournament as underdogs but with ambitions of making their mark.
Tunisian head coach Kamel Saada acknowledged the difficulty of the group in an interview with CAF Online, stating, “It’s a tough group. Everyone knows the quality of Nigeria… We’ll need to be disciplined, focused, and play our best football.”
The Eagles of Carthage’s preparations have been mixed, with just two wins in their last five matches – victories over Botswana and Morocco’s U-23 team. They suffered defeats to Kenya and Morocco, whilst also being held to a goalless draw in a rematch against Kenya.
Tunisia reached the quarter-finals in their last appearance in 2022 but were eliminated by eventual winners South Africa. Their path to Morocco 2024 saw them overcome Niger 12-1 on aggregate in the first round of qualifying, before defeating Congo 6-3 on aggregate in the second round.
Forward Sabrine Ellouzi emerged as their star performer during qualification, scoring seven goals across four matches.
For Nigeria, the match presents an opportunity to assert their dominance early in Group B, which also features Algeria and Botswana. The Super Falcons boast a formidable squad anchored by goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, Africa’s best shot-stopper for the second consecutive year.
Tunisia will look to their all-time top scorer Mariem Houij and in-form Ellouzi to provide the cutting edge against a Nigerian defence that has shown vulnerability in recent matches.
The stakes are high for both teams, with a positive start crucial for qualification to the knockout stages. For Nigeria, it’s about maintaining their status as Africa’s powerhouse, whilst Tunisia seeks to upset the odds and gain early momentum.
I’m amazed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s
both equally educative and interesting, and let me
tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The problem is something not
enough folks are speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy that I
stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through many of
the posts I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m certainly delighted I discovered it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back frequently!
Sahiplenilen köpeklerin birçoğu temel eğitime ihtiyaç duyar. Tuvalet alışkanlığı, temel komutlar ve sosyalleşme süreci için zaman ve sabır gerekir. Profesyonel destek alınabilir veya pozitif pekiştirme yöntemleriyle eğitim verilebilir. Köpek sahiplenme sadece bir canı kurtarmak değil, aynı zamanda onu eğitmek ve hayatınıza entegre etmektir.
Her yıl binlerce köpek terk ediliyor ya da kötü şartlarda yaşıyor. Bu nedenle “satın alma, sahiplen” sloganı sadece bir çağrı değil, bir vicdan hareketidir. Köpek sahiplenme ile hem bir canı kurtarmış olursunuz hem de daha sorumlu bir toplumun oluşmasına katkı sağlarsınız.
Muğla Portalı, Ege’nin incisi Muğla’yı tüm yönleriyle keşfetmek isteyenler için benzersiz bir rehberdir. Doğal güzelliklerden tarihi mirasa, güncel haberlerden etkinliklere kadar Muğla’ya dair aradığınız her şeyi tek bir platformda bulabilirsiniz. En güncel mekan önerileri, otel ve restoran tavsiyeleri, gezi rotaları ve yerel yaşamdan ipuçları Muğla Portalı’nda sizleri bekliyor. Ege’nin eşsiz atmosferini yaşamak, Muğla’da hayatı yakından takip etmek ve fırsatları kaçırmamak için bizi takip edin!
İstanbul, Türkiye’nin ekonomik ve ticari merkezi olarak, hem bireylerin hem de şirketlerin vergi yükümlülüklerinin oldukça yoğun olduğu bir şehirdir. Vergi mevzuatındaki karmaşık düzenlemeler ve sık sık yapılan değişiklikler, mükelleflerin zaman zaman hukuki desteğe ihtiyaç duymasına yol açmaktadır. İstanbul vergi avukatları, hem gerçek hem tüzel kişilere, vergi uyuşmazlıklarında profesyonel danışmanlık ve temsil hizmeti sunarak, olası cezaların ve kayıpların önüne geçilmesine yardımcı olur.
Thanks for sharing such a good thinking, post is pleasant, thats why i have read it entirely
Хорошая работа автора по сбору информации и ее представлению без каких-либо явных предубеждений.
Yes! Finally something about keyword1.
Автор статьи предоставляет информацию, подкрепленную исследованиями и доказательствами, без выражения личных предпочтений. Это сообщение отправлено с сайта https://ru.gototop.ee/
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you need to publish more on this subject matter, it might not be a taboo subject but typically folks don’t talk about such subjects. To the next! Many thanks!!
Статья помогла мне получить более полное представление о проблеме, которая рассматривается.
Автор статьи представляет факты и аргументы, обеспечивая читателей нейтральной информацией для дальнейшего обсуждения и рассмотрения.
Статья содержит интересные факты, которые помогают глубже понять тему.
Автор старается представить информацию в объективной манере, оставляя пространство для дальнейшего обсуждения.
Very energetic article, I liked that a lot. Will there be a part 2?
Надеюсь, вам понравятся эти комментарии!
Хорошая статья, в которой представлены факты и документированные данные.
Автор предлагает читателю разные взгляды на проблему, что способствует формированию собственного мнения.
I do consider all the concepts you’ve presented for your post. They are really convincing and can certainly work. Still, the posts are very brief for beginners. May you please lengthen them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
Статья содержит обновленную информацию и факты, подтвержденные надежными источниками.
Автор предоставляет разнообразные источники, которые можно использовать для дальнейшего изучения темы.
Я только что прочитал эту статью, и мне действительно понравилось, как она написана. Автор использовал простой и понятный язык, несмотря на тему, и представил информацию с большой ясностью. Очень вдохновляюще!
Читателям предоставляется возможность ознакомиться с разными точками зрения и самостоятельно сформировать свое мнение.
Статья содержит обоснованные аргументы, которые вызывают дальнейшую рефлексию у читателя.
Мне понравилась глубина исследования, представленная в статье.
Очень хорошо исследованная статья! Она содержит много подробностей и является надежным источником информации. Я оцениваю автора за его тщательную работу и приветствую его старания в предоставлении читателям качественного контента.
http://power-p.ru/videodikij-shkolnik-igraet-protiv-globala-v-ks-go/
Автор статьи предоставляет информацию, подкрепленную надежными источниками, что делает ее достоверной и нейтральной.
Автор старается сохранить нейтральность и предоставить балансированную информацию.
Эта статья оказалась исключительно информативной и понятной. Автор представил сложные концепции и теории в простой и доступной форме. Я нашел ее очень полезной и вдохновляющей!
Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice even as you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog website? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered brilliant clear concept
Статья помогла мне лучше понять сложные аспекты темы, с которыми я ранее не сталкивался.
Автор статьи представляет разнообразные аспекты темы, предоставляя факты и аргументы без выражения собственного мнения.
Я не могу не отметить качество исследования, представленного в этой статье. Она обогатила мои знания и вдохновила меня на дальнейшее изучение темы. Благодарю автора за его ценный вклад!
Я очень доволен, что прочитал эту статью. Она не только предоставила мне интересные факты, но и вызвала новые мысли и идеи. Очень вдохновляющая работа, которая оставляет след в моей памяти!
Автор старается оставаться объективным, что позволяет читателям самостоятельно оценить представленную информацию.
Статья содержит полезную информацию, которая может быть полезной для практического применения.