WAFCON 2026: Two ways Super Falcons can improve after Tanzania friendly

Nigeria’s final warm-up match before the WAFCON 2026 offered head coach Justine Madugu valuable answers ahead of their title defence in Morocco, Afrik Foot reports.

The Super Falcons were forced to face Tanzania after their planned friendly against Ghana was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, leaving the Twiga Stars as Nigeria’s final test before Group C clashes against Malawi, Zambia and Egypt.

Although the result didn’t mean much, the major talking point was the ten stars on the jersey the players wore, to commemorate their place as ten-time WAFCON Champions.

Striking the right chords 💯#SoarSuperFalcons | #TheQueens | #NGATAN pic.twitter.com/s9AsQBzEmO

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 23, 2026

Goals from Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo sealed a 2-1 win for Justine Madugu’s side, setting a perfect tone as they prepare to take on Malawi in their opening fixture in four days.

Two ways Super Falcons can improve after Tanzania friendly

1. Be more prolific in front of goal

One of the Super Falcons’ greatest strengths under Madugu has been their ability to dominate possession against African opposition.

That was evident during the June double-header against Senegal, where Nigeria won both matches convincingly while creating far more chances than they converted.

Afrik Foot previously noted that the scoreline could easily have been wider given the number of opportunities created.

The same lesson was evident in the victory against Tanzania yesterday. When Nigeria play against tougher opponents at the WAFCON, they may not have the opportunity to create a huge number of chances.

Players like Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Jennifer Echegini, Rinsola Babajide and Gift Monday have the quality to decide matches, but the Super Falcons cannot afford to be profligate in front of goal.

If the Super Falcons become more clinical inside the penalty area, they are clear favourites to retain the title, and in turn, seal a place in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

2. Find the right attacking balance

The Tanzania friendly also gave Madugu his final opportunity to settle on his preferred attacking combinations before the tournament begins.

Nigeria possess arguably the best collective attacking line in Africa, yet selecting the most effective partnership remains one of the coaching staff’s biggest decisions.

Having a star-studded lineup is every coach’s dream, but while these are positive selection headaches, team chemistry matters as much as individual quality in tournament football.

The cancellation of the Ghana friendly reduced the number of opportunities available to fine-tune those relationships, making the Tanzania match even more important. Now, there’s very little margin for error.

Despite those areas requiring improvement, there is little reason for panic.

Madugu has consistently maintained that the Super Falcons are “not a perfect team yet,” while acknowledging that the coaching staff have identified aspects of the squad’s play they still intend to improve before the tournament begins.

They enter Morocco as defending champions, boast one of the best players and have already demonstrated during their WAFCON preparations that they can defeat any team.

If Nigeria can sharpen their finishing and establish a starting XI with great chemistry, the road to the 11th WAFCON title becomes somewhat smoother.