Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has suggested that changes could be made to his squad selection ahead of Nigeria’s crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off clash against South Africa following goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie’s recent struggles.
Madugu defended Nnadozie after her costly error in Nigeria’s WAFCON quarter-final defeat to Cameroon but admitted that the technical crew would consider other options as the team prepares for Thursday’s decisive encounter.
Nnadozie has faced criticism throughout the tournament after several defensive lapses, with her positioning questioned during some of the goals conceded by the Falcons.
The goalkeeper came under pressure after Nigeria’s 3-2 defeat to Malawi in their opening group game, where her positioning was blamed for contributing to the goals conceded. She later kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Zambia before conceding twice in the team’s 6-2 victory against Egypt.
Her performance was again scrutinised during the quarter-final against Cameroon after Myriam Maéva Nyadjou’s stunning free-kick secured a 1-0 victory for the Indomitable Lionesses.
Super Falcons consider goalkeeper options ahead of South Africa clash
Despite the criticism, Madugu maintained that Nnadozie remains one of the best goalkeepers in women’s football and that occasional mistakes do not define her ability.
“Chiamaka has been a wonderful goalkeeper, not just for the national team, but also for her club. Anyone can make mistakes at any time,” Madugu said after the defeat.
He, however, acknowledged that the coaching staff would review the team’s performance and explore possible adjustments before facing South Africa.
“There’s nothing bad about exploring other players,” the coach added.
Among the available alternatives are Nigeria Women’s Football League top goalkeeper Fatima Oloko and Portsmouth goalkeeper Comfort Erhabor, who impressed during scouting assessments.
Nigeria’s defeat to Cameroon marked a historic setback for the Super Falcons, as the 10-time African champions failed to reach the WAFCON semi-finals for the first time.
The result also ended Nigeria’s hopes of securing one of Africa’s automatic qualification slots for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The Falcons must now defeat South Africa in Casablanca on Thursday to secure a place in the FIFA inter-confederation play-offs scheduled for later in the year and keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
