http://Completeports.comNigeria’s Super Falcons are among the eight teams that have booked their place in the quarter-finals at the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.. The West Africans, who are the most successful side in the history of the competition, recorded two wins and one draw from their three group stage matches.. Justine Madugu’s side are gearing up for their quarter-final tie against the Copper Queens of Zambia, which will take place at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca, on Friday.. In this piece, Completesports.com’s ADEBOYE AMOSU highlights the key talking points from the nine-time champions’ group games.. Super Falcons’ Impregnable Defence. The Super Falcons are the only team yet to concede a goal in the competition. The defenders have stood firm after 270 minutes of action.. Experienced centre-back Osinachi Ohale has organised the defence with dexterity, while her partner, Oluwatosin Demehin, has also been a rock.. Full-backs Ashleigh Plumptre and Michelle Alozie have caught the eye with their impressive performances.. Read Also:WAFCON 2024: Ajibade, Plumptre Named In Group Stage Best X1. The quartet are the main reason why goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has remained largely untested so far in the competition.. Super Falcons Captain Ajibade Feeling The Pressure. The former Atletico Madrid winger has so far failed to live up to expectations in the competition. Ajibade, alongside Chiamaka Nnadozie and Oluwatosin Demehin, are the only players who have featured in all three games for Nigeria in Morocco.. The 25-year-old must be feeling the pressure of the captaincy. She also struggled to impress at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris — her first major tournament as Super Falcons captain.. For a player who was joint-top scorer at the WAFCON 2022 finals with three goals, much will be expected of her, especially now that the competition has entered the crucial knockout stage.. Madugu Yet To Find Right Super Falcons’ Midfield Combination. The Super Falcons are blessed with an array of talented midfielders, but head coach Justine Madugu is yet to find the right combination.. Halimat Ayinde of FC Rosengård in Sweden seems untouchable in the defensive midfield position, but finding the ideal two players to pair with her has proven difficult.. Deborah Abiodun and Toni Payne partnered Ayinde in the Super Falcons’ first two games against Tunisia and Botswana. However, the midfield looked more effective with the introduction of Christy Ucheibe at half-time in both matches.. Payne, in particular, has looked out of form, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Jennifer Echegini impressed in the last group game against Algeria.. Profligacy In Front Of Goal. Justine Madugu’s side scored four goals in three group stage matches. For a team that boasts some of the best strikers on the continent — including Asisat Oshoala, Omorinsola Babajide, Ifeoma Onumonu, and Esther Okoronkwo — that return is meagre.. The Super Falcons scored three goals in their opening game against Algeria, but the scoreline could have been more emphatic had they converted the other chances they created.. Read Also:WAFCON 2024: Why We Are Confident Of Beating Super Falcons –Zambia Midfielder, Nachula. It was the same pattern in the games against the Mares of Botswana and the Fennecs of Algeria.. Okoronkwo, The New Super Falcons Rising Star. Esther Okoronkwo, the AFC Toronto forward, has emerged as the team’s new star. She came into the limelight after scoring the decisive goal that earned Nigeria a place in the final round of the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.. The 28-year-old came off the bench to inspire Nigeria’s win over Tunisia, bagging an assist and claiming the Woman of the Match award.. Okoronkwo also teed up Chiwendu Ihezuo for the winning goal against the Mares of Botswana after another impactful substitute appearance.
