'We want our fate in our hands' – Madugu sends strong message before Egypt match

Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has expressed confidence that Nigeria will secure a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), revealing that his team has carefully studied every possible qualification scenario ahead of their decisive Group C clash against Egypt.

The defending champions head into their final group-stage fixture knowing that victory will guarantee a place in the knockout rounds after a mixed start to the tournament.

Nigeria opened their campaign with a shock 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi before producing a spirited response with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Madugu said the coaching staff had analysed every qualification possibility but insisted the team's focus remains solely on defeating Egypt.

"We have done all the various permutations on what can get us through, and we know which of the permutations can take us through," Madugu said.

He added, "We want to have our fate in our hands and not leave it for anybody to decide for us, so we are going straight for what we know will put us through."

Madugu revealed that morale within the Super Falcons camp remains high despite the pressure surrounding the must-win encounter.

"We are good to go; the team is in high spirits. We are getting ready for the next game, and we all know what is at stake. We are doing our best to ensure that we get the right result that will take us to the next stage of the competition," he added.

With one round of matches remaining, Malawi top Group C with six points, while Nigeria and Zambia have three points each. Egypt are yet to register a point, leaving qualification still open heading into the final fixtures.