Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has opened up on the nerve-wracking moments Nigeria endured during their gripping semi-final encounter against South Africa at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
Nigeria booked their spot in the final with a thrilling 2–1 victory over the defending champions, but not without moments of doubt, anxiety, and internal regrouping.
Speaking at the post-match press conference where she was named Player of the Match for the third time in the tournament, Ajibade admitted that the team was briefly unsettled when the game was locked at 1–1 in the second half.
“To be honest, for a moment we were a bit nervous. There was confusion when it was 1–1,” the former Atletico Madrid forward confessed. “It’s normal sometimes to get confused at that point in the game. We had to call ourselves to order and remind each other that if we allowed fear to creep in, it would divide the team and the opponent would take advantage.”
Ajibade had given Nigeria the lead earlier in the match with a composed penalty but noted that the team failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities particularly in the first half which could have made the tie more comfortable.
“We missed a few chances in the first half. We should’ve been more clinical in front of goal,” she said.
Despite the scare, the Falcons rallied. “We came back together, stayed strong and encouraged each other. We made sure we pushed to the very end,” Ajibade said, crediting the team’s unity and resilience for their triumph.
The win propels Nigeria into the WAFCON final, as the nine-time champions chase a historic 10th continental title.
