Ghana’s Black Queens will square off against Nigeria’s Super Falcons in a crucial friendly fixture in Casablanca on Sunday as both West African giants fine-tune their preparations for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The encounter represents the final preparatory match for both teams before the continental showpiece commences on July 5 in Morocco.
For the nine-time African champions, the clash against their perennial rivals serves as a crucial test ahead of their quest for a 10th WAFCON title, having dominated the competition since its inception as a tournament in 1998.
The Super Falcons arrived in Casablanca on Wednesday night, with 22 players joining up with Bay FC forward Asisat Oshoala and China-based Folasade Ijamilusi, who had arrived days earlier. The 24-player squad will embark on other phases of their training before filing out against Ghana in their last friendly and warm-up game before the tournament.
Nigeria head coach Justin Madugu, who insists he is not under pressure to deliver the country’s 10th continental crown, sees the Ghana fixture as an opportunity to assess his team’s readiness for the challenges ahead.
“I am not under pressure. There will be stories and distractions, but we are staying focused on what lies ahead. We know our target. We are going for the trophy, that’s what doing well means for us. It is mission ‘X’ for every one of us,” he said.
The interim coach also acknowledged the significance of the moment for indigenous coaches like himself.
“We are not just representing ourselves; we are representing all Nigerian coaches. If we succeed, it opens the door for others to be trusted with this kind of responsibility. If we fail, it makes things difficult for the next coach coming behind.”
Nigeria forced Portugal to a goalless draw in Lisbon on Monday in their penultimate warm-up game, a result that would have given Madugu’s technical team valuable insight into the squad’s tactical flexibility and readiness.
For Ghana, Sunday’s encounter represents more than just a tune-up fixture, it’s a vital benchmark against Africa’s most decorated women’s national team.
Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren, the Swedish tactician who took charge of the team in 2024, has admitted that facing Nigeria will present his side with their toughest challenge yet.
“Nigeria is one step up. One of the best teams in Africa with good players in almost every position. The game against Nigeria is going to be a very, very tough game,” Björkegren told Ghana’s Football Association official website.
“But that’s also what we need now because we have shown that our lowest level is high enough. We know that we can score goals, and we have built a good defence, so it’s going to be fun to match up against one of the best teams.”
Ghana have been impressive in their pre-tournament preparations, securing a 3-1 victory over Malawi in their opening friendly before following it up with a spirited 4-2 win against Benin Republic on Wednesday.
Despite having never won the WAFCON, Ghana have finished as runners-up twice, in 1998 and 2002, and are hoping to finally clinch the elusive title in Morocco. But first, they must contend with Nigeria’s formidable Super Falcons, who are widely regarded as the standard-bearers for women’s football in Africa. Enditem
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