Falcons Prepared to Give Their All on the Field, Says Ajibade

Nigeria's Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade confessed that her team was prepared to give their all on the pitch, rather than face consecutive defeats at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

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Ajibade's remarks came after their second group game, where the 10-time African champions secured a crucial 1-0 win over Zambia in Morocco, despite being down to 10 players for a significant portion of the match.

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Their title defence was on shaky ground following a surprising 3-2 loss to tournament newcomers Malawi in their opening game, putting Justine Madugu’s side under immense pressure heading into the Zambia fixture.

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Their task became even more daunting when defender Oluwatosin Demehin received a red card for bringing down Zambia captain Barbra Banda just before halftime, forcing the Super Falcons to play with 10 women for over half of the contest.

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Asisat Oshoala's eighth-minute goal proved sufficient to overcome Zambia's attacking duo of Banda and Rachael Kundananji, as Nigeria held on to record their first win and first clean sheet of the tournament.

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Ajibade stated that the team understood the need to stay focused after the Malawi setback, saying "I'm good, the Lord is my strength, I'm good" and emphasizing that they had to win at all costs.

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She explained that the team's mindset was to play with every ounce of energy and spirit to secure a win, leaving no room for complacency, and that their determination was driven by the desire to avoid back-to-back defeats.

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Ajibade also revealed that her faith helped her cope with the moment Demehin was dismissed, and she was not worried despite Nigeria being reduced to 10 players against one of the continent's most formidable attacking sides.

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She attributed her calmness to her faith, saying "Honestly, I wasn't worried, I was going onto the pitch with the word of God because I knew when God said He's going to help us, so I held on to God's word".

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Zambia increased the pressure in the second half, but goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie delivered another solid performance while the Nigerian backline held firm to protect Oshoala's goal.

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Ajibade asserted that there was never a moment of panic within the camp, and the players always believed they would emerge victorious.

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The victory has revived Nigeria's hopes of progressing from the group, with a decisive final match against Egypt on Wednesday still to come, where the Super Falcons need at least a draw to guarantee their place in the knockout stage.

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The Super Falcons, chasing a record-extending 11th WAFCON title, are now in a better position to achieve their goal, thanks to the hard-fought win over Zambia.