Head coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, has praised the Super Falcons and their coach, Justin Madugu, following Nigeria’s dramatic victory over Morocco in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Super Falcons came from two goals down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, winning their 10th continental title — more than any other women’s national team in the world.
Nigeria now stands ahead of world powers like the United States and China, who both have nine continental titles.
Chelle: “You deserve this trophy”
Reacting to the Falcons’ triumph, Chelle said,
“I want to congratulate the coach. It was a great tournament. I’m so proud of you and your technical staff. You deserve this trophy. I’m so happy for you and your family.”
Under Coach Madugu, the Super Falcons had an impressive run at the tournament. They thrashed Zambia 5-0 in the quarterfinals, narrowly beat South Africa 2-1 in the semifinals, and pulled off a remarkable comeback against Morocco in the final — in front of a home crowd.
“I want to congratulate the best team in Africa, the Super Falcons. You deserve this trophy. It was not easy because you faced Morocco in Morocco, and you did it,” Chelle added. “I believe the future of the Super Falcons will be great.”
Looking ahead: CHAN 2024
While celebrating the Falcons’ success, Coach Chelle also has a big task ahead. He will lead the Super Eagles B team in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which kicks off on August 2 in East Africa — co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
CHAN is a competition for players who play in their country’s domestic league. Nigeria has never won the tournament, with their best finish being second place in 2018.
Chelle’s team will face Senegal and Sudan at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar, before playing Congo in their final group match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Super Eagles B will begin their campaign with a tough opening match against defending champions Senegal on Tuesday, August 5.