Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu and his South African counterpart Desiree Ellis are fired up ahead of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final showdown at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca on Tuesday.
The highly anticipated clash pits nine-time champions Nigeria against defending champions South Africa in what promises to be a titanic battle.
Nigeria have dominated the historical head-to-head record, winning eight of their previous 11 WAFCON encounters against South Africa and outscoring Banyana Banyana 16-5. However, the reigning champions are no longer the underdogs they once were, having memorably beaten Nigeria in the group stage of the 2022 edition before lifting their first WAFCON title.
Madugu acknowledged the evolution of Ellis’s side while showing respect for their achievements.
“They have a very good team. For them to have won all their games to get them to where they are, obviously, we must appreciate and respect what they have done. So, we are not taking that for granted,” Madugu said.
“You know football games can be very deceiving sometimes. You don’t judge teams based on what you see, particularly in their last game. But the prestige is equally there, so we are not looking at them as underdogs. They will be favourites as defending champions. They took the crown from us, and we want to do the same.”
Ellis, meanwhile, drew confidence from her team’s previous success against Nigeria.
“We know what this match means. We know what it takes to beat Nigeria,” Ellis was quoted by CAF Online.
The South African coach dismissed suggestions that her players needed extra motivation for the encounter.
“I don’t think that you need to communicate anything. It’s like a derby where you know who you’re up against. Players know the strength of Nigeria. So I don’t think any motivation is needed. The motivation is obviously the semi-final, but I don’t think it needs motivation because of the rivalry that there is.”
Both coaches find themselves in unusual circumstances, operating without formal contracts with their respective federations. Despite the uncertainty, Madugu and Ellis have shown remarkable composure in guiding their teams to the semi-finals.
The Super Falcons will enter the match with attacking momentum, having scored nine goals in four matches – second only to hosts Morocco with 10. Nigeria brushed aside Tunisia 3-0, edged Botswana 1-0, drew goalless with Algeria, and demolished Zambia 5-0 in the quarter-finals.
South Africa opened with a 2-0 win over Ghana before drawing 1-1 with Tanzania. A 4-0 rout of Mali restored confidence, but they needed extra time and penalties to overcome Senegal in the quarter-finals, winning the shootout 4-1.
The rivalry carries added significance following South Africa’s heartbreak in the 2024 Olympic qualifiers, where Nigeria secured a slender 1-0 aggregate victory over two legs to deny Banyana qualification for the Paris Olympics.
Madugu emphasised his team’s mental preparation for the high-pressure encounter.
“With every game, there will always be pressure. The pressure of wanting to win, wanting to do well and the opposition also comes with some extra pressure. But we are managing ourselves well. We are not allowing it to distract or unsettle the team. The girls are fully focused. We all know what is at stake, and we’ll make our country happy,” he said.
As the two continental powerhouses prepare for battle, the winner will not only secure a place in Sunday’s final but also take a significant step towards claiming African football’s ultimate prize.
