The coach of Nigeria’s female national team, Justin Madugu, has explained why he included two dual-nationality attackers, Chioma Okafor and Rinsola Babajide, in the Super Falcons’ squad for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2025) in Morocco.
Sports247 reports that many critics are still scolding Madugu for opting for Okafor and Babajide, while leaving out fast-rising striker, Gift Monday, who has proven her mettle in several games for the Falcons and is doing well with her club, Washington Spirit FC of the USA.
However, Madugu insists he has made the right choices in all departments of the squad, especially in attack, where he believes Okafor and Babajide could jolly well be the surprise package that would help Nigeria claim a historic tenth African title and justify their Mission X campaign.
Okafor, who dumped an opportunity of starring for her mother’s country, Malawi, comes with a strong pedigree from playing with the University of Connecticut in the USA, while Babajide previously played at youth level for England, where she shot to prominence in the shirts of Liverpool Ladies, as well as with Milwall, Watford and Brighton.
With both players now confirmed to don Nigeria’s green-and White at the impending WAFCON, Madugu believes he has jokers that can spring surprises on Tunisia, Botswana and Algeria in their group, as well as against other teams in the forthcoming competition.
He expatiated, “We’ve been watching a lot of their tapes. In fact, we always monitor their matches, even in college. There are some players that you go to a competition with and they stand there more or less like jokers.”
The soft-spoken gaffer continued by pointing out that many of the Falcons’ older players are already well known by opposing teams and they may not be able to find their feet on the thick of action, while believing that a new attraction could pull off one surprise or the other.
Madugu added, “Nobody knows anything about these ones. All the Oshoalas and the rest are known, because people have been watching them.
“They all know what to expect from them, because they know a lot about them. So, when you have one or two players that are new, they will serve as a surprise to other teams.”
The ambitious tactician concluded by admitting that the possibility of Okafor and Babajide hogging headlines in Morocco would largely depend on the tactics and strategies he outlines for them to fit into, which he disclosed are already being worked on.
“Before they get to understand who the person is or get to know her, she has already shocked them. But, it depends on how you utilise the person and how you get the best out of her. Every other person in that team has something interesting to offer. That is why they are all there,” Madugu assured.
He will now look for goals from Babajide, who already has five Falcons’ caps and now plays for Tenerife of Spain, after arriving from Real Betis in 2023.
On the other hand, Okafor will aim for her Nigeria debut in a friendly against Ghana on Sunday or for the Falcons’ first match of WAFCON 2025, when they go out versus Tunisia on July 6th, both in Casablanca.
