'We can still win the 11th WAFCON title' - Moses Bako Nagogo
Despite the Nigeria's senior women's national team less-than-convincing opening performance against Malawi, Nigerian women's football stakeholder and CEO of Soccer Queens, Moses Nagogo Bako, believes the team still has what it takes to win an unprecedented 11th Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.
According to Bako, the opening game may have left many Nigerians worried, but history has shown that one underwhelming performance does not define a championship campaign.
"If there is one lesson the Super Falcons taught Africa during Mission X, it is that champions are not judged by how they start; they are remembered by how they finish," he said.
Bako recalled that Nigeria's road to their 10th WAFCON title was far from perfect. After defeating Tunisia 3-0, the Falcons needed a late goal to beat Botswana 1-0 before settling for a goalless draw against Algeria. Those performances raised doubts about their title credentials.
"Then... BOOM! Nigeria 'Bandarised' Zambia 5-0 in the quarter-finals, edged defending champions South Africa 2-1 in a thrilling semi-final, and produced one of the greatest comebacks in WAFCON history by recovering from two goals down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final."
He said the campaign proved that tournaments are won by teams that continue to improve, not necessarily those that shine brightest in the opening match.
While expressing confidence in the current squad, Bako admitted that Nigeria must quickly address the slow starts, lapses in concentration, midfield inconsistency and poor finishing displayed against Malawi.
"The challenge is not whether Nigeria have the talent to become champions again. They certainly do. The real challenge is how quickly they can rediscover the intensity, discipline and clinical edge that defined the successful Mission X campaign."
He concluded that if the Super Falcons continue to improve as the tournament progresses, just as they did during their last title-winning campaign, Nigeria will once again become the team every nation fears.
"History has already shown that the Super Falcons do not need to be perfect on the first day. They simply need to be at their best when the tournament matters most. The journey to Mission XI has begun."
Join the Savid News channel on WhatsApp:
