Nigeria’s Super Falcons commenced their 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Tunisia in Casablanca. This dominant performance underscored their status as nine-time African champions and a formidable force on the continent. The win, marked by crisp finishing and tactical maturity, demonstrated the team's intent to clinch their tenth WAFCON title.

The scoring opened early, just four minutes into the game, when Asisat Oshoala headed home from a well-placed free-kick by Rinsola Babajide. Babajide, a former Liverpool winger, was exceptional in the first half, proving unplayable for the Tunisian defense. Her impactful performance culminated just before halftime when she doubled Nigeria’s lead with a precise finish, receiving a deflected pass and firing past two defenders to make it 2-0 after 43 minutes. Her goal celebration, a distinctive Diogo Jota tribute, involved sitting cross-legged and miming a video game controller. This touching gesture honored the late Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota, who tragically died on July 3, along with his brother, in a car crash in Zamora province, Spain.

Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu's tactical prowess was evident, particularly with his three half-time substitutions. Despite taking off star players Oshoala, Babajide, and midfielder Deborah Abiodun, and bringing in Esther Okoronkwo, Christy Ucheibe, and Chinwendu Ihezuo, the changes did not disrupt Nigeria's rhythm. Instead, they injected freshness and led to the third goal. Substitutes Okoronkwo and Ihezuo combined for the final strike in the 84th minute, with Okoronkwo expertly laying the ball into Ihezuo's path. Madugu, who served as an assistant when the Falcons last won the WAFCON in 2018, applauded his team’s collective performance and emphasized team harmony, stating, “Every player that is here is equally of great importance.”

Ashleigh Plumptre was another influential figure on the pitch. The Al-Ittihad full-back was solid defensively, keeping Tunisian wingers at bay, and contributed significantly to the offense, including a teasing cross that played a vital role in Nigeria’s third goal. Her goal was controversially disallowed at the end of the first half. Plumptre acknowledged that despite the 3-0 win and clean sheet, there is