Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has attributed Nigeria’s 1-0 defeat to Cameroon at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations to a lack of clinical finishing.
Nigeria’s campaign came to an end on Sunday night after the Super Falcons were edged by the Indomitable Lionesses at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Myriam Nyadjou scored the only goal of the encounter in the 19th minute, curling a free-kick beyond the reach of the Nigerian goalkeeper to give Cameroon an early advantage.
The Super Falcons responded with sustained pressure and created several opportunities to get back into the contest.
However, Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina stood firm, making a series of important saves to preserve her team’s lead.
Cameroon will now meet hosts Morocco in the semi-finals in Rabat on Wednesday, while their victory also earned them qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria still have another route to the World Cup. The Super Falcons will face South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in a play-in fixture, with the winner securing a place at the global tournament.
Madugu expressed his disappointment with the result, insisting that better finishing from his players could have changed the outcome.
“It was not our intention to lose. If we had been more clinical, the game could have been different.” Madugu said after the game.
Despite Nigeria’s elimination, Madugu acknowledged Cameroon’s performance, particularly their ability to absorb pressure and protect their early lead.
“I like to give Cameroon credit. They did not qualify initially but came in as one of best ranked teams,” added Madugu.
“They came first in their group, winning their two games and drawing against Cape Verde, in match that did not matter as far as position is concerned.
“Today, they did best they could and defended very well, but we created a lot of chances. If we had converted our chances, the result would have been different.”
