Falcons Beat Tanzania 2-1 in WAFCON Warm-Up

Nigeria’s Super Falcons defeated Tanzania 2-1 in an international friendly match on Thursday at the Lenoria Sports Complex in Casablanca, rounding off preparations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a dramatic late winner from Esther Okoronkwo.

Casablanca Warm-Up Sets the Stage for Morocco

Nigeria’s preparations for the continental championship faced a scheduling detour before the squad ever touched down in Casablanca. Justin Madugu’s side was originally scheduled to take on the Black Queen of Ghana in a friendly last Saturday, but it was called off due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Super Falcons pivoted to Tanzania for their final international tune-up, meeting the squad at the Lenoria Sports Complex with a 6pm local time kick-off. The friendly provided Head Coach Justin Madugu with another opportunity to assess his squad, fine-tune tactics, and build cohesion ahead of Nigeria’s opening match at the tournament. The fixture provided the squad with an essential competitive environment right before hitting Rabat for the competition this weekend.

Ajibade Strikes Early Before Tanzania’s Late Fightback

The ten-time African champions seized control of the pitch early in the encounter. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade gave the ten-time African champions a dream start, finding the back of the net early in the encounter after being brilliantly set up by Rinsola Babajide. The Falcons dominated much of the opening half with their attacking intent and defensive discipline, establishing an attacking rhythm that kept Tanzania on the back foot through much of the opening period and taking a deserved 1-0 advantage into the break.

Head coach Justin Madugu made several changes in the second half as he assessed his squad ahead of the continental showpiece, giving the coaching crew another opportunity to assess player combinations, squad depth, and tactical flexibility. A flurry of substitutions saw Folashade Ijamilusi, Uche Kanu, Michelle Alozie, and Joy Omewa replace Glory Ogbonna, Toni Payne, Rinsola Babajide, and Asisat Oshoala, while Esther Okoronkwo, Osinachi Ohale, and Halimatu Ayinde were introduced for Christy Ucheibe, Sikiratu Isah, and Joy Omewa, with several substitutes making valuable contributions during the contest.

Despite Nigeria’s control and prolonged dominance, Tanzania fought back and restored parity in the 79th minute, equalizing to turn a dominant afternoon into a tense finish.

Okoronkwo Secures the Late Winner

With the match seemingly headed for a draw and appearing destined for a 1-1 stalemate, Esther Okoronkwo emerged as the hero to alter the outcome in the closing moments. She struck late, calmly restoring Nigeria’s lead in the 89th minute to hand Nigeria a hard-earned 2-1 victory in their final test before the continental championship.

Super Falcons Beat Tanzania 2-1 in Pre-WAFCON Friendly

The late winner ensured the Super Falcons wrapped up their preparations for WAFCON 2026 on a winning note, providing a timely confidence boost ahead of the tournament as they pursue a record 11th WAFCON title.

Group Stage Focus Shifts to Malawi

Having wrapped up their final friendly tests in Casablanca, the Super Falcons will hit Rabat for the competition this weekend to settle into tournament mode. Their immediate attention now shifts to the group stage of the 2026 WAFCON, aiming to reclaim the continental crown after an encouraging end to their pre-tournament preparations.

Nigeria will face the Scorchers of Malawi in their opening fixture next Tuesday, aiming to reclaim continental supremacy and further cement their status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team.

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