Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has vowed that Nigeria will give everything to keep their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup alive when they face South Africa on Thursday, NigeriaSoccernet.com reports.
The 10-time African champions missed out on automatic qualification after suffering a 1-0 quarter-final defeat to Cameroon at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria now face Banyana Banyana at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, with a place in the inter-confederation playoffs at stake.
Madugu acknowledged the importance of the encounter and expressed confidence that his players can respond positively to their disappointment against the Indomitable Lionesses.
“We have a second chance. We have this second opportunity. We are still going to do the best that we can,” Madugu said during his interaction with the media in Casablanca.
The coach stressed that the Super Falcons are determined to make the most of the opportunity and deliver a result that will keep their World Cup ambitions alive.
“We’re not leaving anything out. We’re going to put in all our best to make sure that we put smiles on the faces of our people because we know what it means to all of us as Nigerians.”
Madugu also revealed that selection for the decisive encounter would be based strictly on readiness, ruling out experimentation or unnecessary squad rotation.
“For tomorrow’s (today's) game, for every game we pick, we pick those that we feel are ready to ensure that we win every match,” he added.
“It’s not just about squad rotation, that everybody should have an opportunity to just play. It’s not about that. It’s about ensuring that we have the right people that will always win every game for us.”
The Super Falcons must defeat South Africa to advance to the inter-confederation playoffs and preserve their hopes of featuring at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.