Super Falcons Roar: Nigeria Crushes Egypt 6-2 in WAFCON, Marching Towards Quarterfinals!

The Super Falcons of Nigeria concluded their 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) group stage campaign with a decisive victory over Egypt. This final group stage fixture held significant implications for Group C, as Nigeria needed a win to secure their progression to the knockout rounds, following a mixed start to the tournament.

Historically, the Super Falcons stand as the undisputed queens of African women's football, boasting an impressive record of 10 WAFCON titles since the competition's inception in 1998. Their dominance has spanned generations, featuring legends like Mercy Akide and Perpetua Nkwocha, and continuing with contemporary stars such as Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade. This sustained excellence has instilled a winning mentality, where anything less than lifting the trophy is often seen as a disappointment.

In stark contrast, Egypt's Cleopatras have had a more challenging journey. This WAFCON 2026 marks only their third appearance in the tournament, with their last participation being in 2016. Their history includes a memorable 6-0 defeat to Nigeria in their inaugural WAFCON appearance in 1998, a result that remained the sole encounter between the two nations until this pivotal match.

Nigeria's WAFCON 2026 campaign began with a surprising opening day loss to tournament debutants Malawi, a result that left many fans disheartened. However, the team demonstrated their resilience by bouncing back with a spirited 1-0 victory over Zambia in their second game, even playing with 10 players for a significant portion of the match. This set the stage for the crucial encounter against Egypt, where Nigeria entered believing they would win, while Egypt, acknowledging their underdog status, was expected to adopt a defensive approach.

On Wednesday night at the Stade Moulay Hassan, the Super Falcons delivered a sensational attacking masterclass, overpowering Egypt with a commanding 6-2 victory. Nigeria quickly set the tone, with Asisat Oshoala coolly converting a penalty in the 21st minute after a VAR review for handball. Substitute Gift Monday then doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, finishing a well-executed short-corner routine involving Toni Payne and Rinsola Babajide. Although Egypt managed to pull one goal back before the break, sending the teams into halftime with Nigeria leading 2-1.

The 10-time champions maintained complete control in the second half. Uchenna Kanu restored the two-goal cushion in the 57th minute with a crisp left-footed strike. Nigeria's relentless dominance was further rewarded with two more VAR-awarded penalties, which Christy Ucheibe and captain Rasheedat Ajibade expertly dispatched in the 80th and 88th minutes, respectively. The highlight of the night arrived deep into stoppage time when Gift Monday and Ajibade combined to set up Joy Omewa, who tapped home her first-ever WAFCON goal, capping off an explosive six-goal performance.

Following the decisive win, former Super Falcons winger Stella Mbachu urged the team and supporters to move past discussions about the difficult pre-tournament preparations. Nigeria's campaign had been marred by concerns over the Nigeria Football Federation's (NFF) failure to organize enough quality friendly matches. Mbachu acknowledged that poor preparation was a factor in the team's inconsistent start, including the defeat to Malawi, but emphasized that it should not define the Super Falcons' narrative. She stressed the importance of unity, learning from mistakes, and focusing on delivering results on the pitch, reminding everyone that players had gained crucial minutes with their respective clubs. Her message was clear: encourage the girls to go ahead and win the trophy, as history remembers champions, not obstacles. The Super Falcons now turn their full focus to the knockout stages, where they are set to face old rivals Cameroon in the quarter-finals, firmly keeping their hopes of an 11th WAFCON title alive and securing a spot in the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.