The Super Falcons sealed their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title under intense pressure last Saturday.
A sports analyst, Cecelia Omorogbe, has established a key difference between the Falcons’ and Eagles’ performances in terms of comfort and availability. She highlighted the Falcon’s determination to succeed irrespective of the resources unavailable to them.
She drew a direct comparison between Nigeria’s male and female national teams on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday.
“What the men need is resilience,” she said. “They have everything at their disposal. These girls don’t, yet they show up. They don’t seek relevance, they play to show what they have. The women need support before they win, not only when they win.
The Super Falcons sealed their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title under intense pressure last Saturday, completing what the team and staff had called “Mission X”, their goal of reaching a decade of African championships.
Omorogbe, Channels TV’s sports correspondent who covered the tournament in Casablanca, Morocco, described the team’s performance as commendable and one that was a product of hunger, resilience, and unity.
She praised head coach Justine Pwanidi Madugu for his tactical discipline and ability to make timely changes throughout the tournament.
Asked to identify her player of the match, Omorogbe instead credited every player who contributed to the team’s performance.
“Every girl who played had a crucial role. The synergy and hunger to win were visible,” she said.
She highlighted Rasheedat Ajibade for her leadership both on and off the pitch, and Asisat Oshoala for her maturity and selflessness. “This is someone who allowed the other girls to shine,” she said.
“I would say she is the well-deserved player of the tournament.” She said this, referring to Ajibade.
Omoregbe also praised Esther Okoronkwo for her impact during critical moments in the competition, stating that the entire team carried a united front, even in the face of hostility.
“Resilience is what these girls have. Resilience, hunger,” she said, referring to the challenges posed by the host nation and other countries in previous matches.
She noted that most of the current players are unlikely to exit the national stage soon, suggesting that they may remain until at least the next WAFCON or the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Addressing structural gaps, Omorogbe called for deliberate investment in women’s football in Nigeria.
“We want to see activations,” she stated, urging the Presidency to provide rewards such as monetary bonuses or land grants for the players.
