‘Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has insisted that Nigeria have moved on from their disappointing opening defeat to Malawi and are fully focused on Saturday’s must-win Group B encounter against Zambia at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The defending champions suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in Rabat, leaving Justine Madugu’s side under pressure to secure victory against the Copper Queens to keep their knockout stage hopes alive.
Speaking ahead of the decisive fixture, Nnadozie said the team remains united and determined to bounce back.
“The feeling is good. Everybody is happy. The past is in the past. We are focused on the next game. The spirit is very high, and we will fight to get maximum points,” she said.
The Brighton goalkeeper also appealed to Nigerian supporters for continued faith in the team, stressing that the loss to Malawi was not intentional.
“I just feel it is necessary to let the fans know that what happened was not intentional. This is football; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.”
Nnadozie endured a difficult outing against Malawi and later took to social media to apologise to fans for her performance.
Despite the criticism, the shot-stopper remains confident that the team can recover from the setback.
“That doesn’t make us a bad team, and it doesn’t make me a bad player. We have to keep our heads high and do what we know how to do best.”
She added that mistakes are part of football and vowed to improve in the remaining matches.
“We didn’t get to this level by mistake. This is not my first time making mistakes in a game. I have to keep my head down and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The goalkeeper also expressed gratitude to Nigerian fans for their unwavering support.
“I want to thank everyone who believes in us, wishes us well and prays for the team. We have learnt a lot from the last game, and hopefully we will get things right in the next match.”
Nigeria face Zambia knowing that anything less than a victory could see the reigning African champions crash out of the competition at the group stage.
