Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has dismissed suggestions that Nigeria took their opponents Benin Republic lightly in their 1–1 draw during the second leg of the 2026 WAFCON https://www.cafonline.com/caf-womens-africa-cup-of-nations/qualifiers in Abeokuta.
Ajibade, who led the team out at the MKO Abiola Stadium, insisted that the Falcons approached the match with full seriousness despite already holding a two-goal advantage from the first leg played in Togo.
Read Also Benin Coach Abdoulaye Ouzerou: ‘We Came to Beat Nigeria and Believed We Could Win’ After 1–1 Draw in Abeokuta
She explained that the team understood the pride and motivation of their West African neighbours, who were desperate to get a result against the nine-time African champions.
“We never underestimated Benin Republic, not for one second,” Ajibade told journalists after the match. “We knew it would be a tough game because playing against Nigeria is a big deal for any African team. They wanted to prove a point, and we were aware of that.”
Ajibade admitted that the team fell short of their usual standards but took positives from the experience, saying it helped highlight key areas to improve ahead of future competitions.
“It wasn’t our best game, that’s the truth,” she said. “But sometimes you need matches like this to learn and grow. We now know the areas that need to be better — both individually and collectively.”
Ajibade expressed gratitude to the fans who filled the stadium to cheer the team despite the underwhelming performance, promising that the Super Falcons would come back stronger.
“We appreciate the support of Nigerians everywhere,” she added. “We’ve seen how much they care about this team, and we’ll keep working hard to make them proud.”
The Super Falcons have now officially qualified for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they will aim to extend their record as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
