Super Falcons defender Michelle Alozie has insisted that Nigeria’s full attention is on its final Group C fixture against Egypt, stressing that the team will not allow thoughts of the knockout stages or World Cup qualification to distract it from the immediate task at hand.
The 10-time African champions revived their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia, putting themselves in a strong position ahead of Wednesday’s decisive encounter with the Pharaohs.
Speaking ahead of the match, Alozie acknowledged that while the team’s ultimate ambition is to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and retain the continental title, the players remain committed to taking the tournament one game at a time.
“Our long-term objective is to qualify for the World Cup, but right now we’re only thinking about the next game. We don’t want to look too far ahead because every match is important,” Alozie said.
The Houston Dash defender added that the victory over Zambia has boosted confidence within the squad, but warned against complacency.
“Beating Zambia was important, but the job isn’t done yet. Our focus is completely on Egypt because that’s the only game that matters at the moment,” she added.
Alozie said the Super Falcons have learned valuable lessons from their opening defeat to Malawi and are determined to maintain the same discipline and intensity that earned them victory over the Copper Queens.
Nigeria enters Wednesday’s fixture knowing that a positive result will secure qualification for the quarter-finals and keep alive its pursuit of a record-extending 11th WAFCON title, while also moving one step closer to a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The team’s measured approach mirrors the “one match at a time” philosophy repeatedly emphasised within the squad throughout the tournament.
