Nigeria's Super Falcons have made a significant adjustment to their preparation for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) by scheduling a friendly match against Tanzania's Twiga Stars. This decision comes after the planned encounter with Ghana's Black Queens was abruptly called off. The cancellation was primarily due to Nigeria's inability to field a full squad, as they were short on players in their training camp. The match against Tanzania will take place in Casablanca, providing the Super Falcons with a timely opportunity to enhance their tactical strategies and improve their match fitness ahead of the continental tournament, which is set to commence on July 26 in Morocco.
The head coach of Tanzania, Bakari Nyundo Shime, confirmed the friendly, emphasizing its importance as part of their preparations. He stated, "We are going to face Nigeria and also play a second friendly match with another team before the tournament starts. These friendly matches will help us shape up well ahead of the tournament." Shime expressed confidence in his team's readiness, citing enhanced planning and player management as key factors in their preparations for WAFCON.
The cancellation of the friendly against Ghana was announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which cited "unforeseen circumstances" without going into detail. However, sources indicated that the real issue stemmed from a low player turnout at their training camp, where only 13 players had reported in by the time of the cancellation, with the number only increasing to 15 shortly thereafter. This lack of available players hindered the coaching staff's ability to properly assess team combinations, making it impossible to conduct a competitive match against their rivals.
Despite this setback, the Super Falcons have swiftly adapted their plans, with the upcoming friendly against Tanzania poised to play a crucial role in evaluating the squad's readiness. The WAFCON tournament will feature an expanded format with 16 teams, running from July 26 to August 16, and will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil, where the four semi-finalists will earn automatic spots.
In related news, Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala has recently addressed false rumors regarding the death of her grassroots coach, declaring them untrue and urging the public to disregard such misinformation. She took to social media to clarify that her former coach is alive and well, expressing her frustration towards the journalist responsible for the misleading report.
As reported by legit.ng.
