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Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has stressed that Nigeria cannot afford complacency at the upcoming 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, insisting each match must be approached as a battle. The tournament, set to begin in July, sees the team drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana.
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According to Plumptre, the failed March and April international windows during which Nigeria did not play any friendlies have left the squad short of vital match practice ahead of WAFCON. The last outing was a narrow 2–1 friendly defeat to France in November 2024, leaving the team’s preparation schedule less than ideal.
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Although the Nigeria Football Federation previously pledged to arrange more friendly fixtures to blend experience with fresh talent, no matches have taken place this year. This gap leaves captain Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala and others highlighting the urgent need for game-time to sharpen focus and cohesion.
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With the next FIFA women’s window running from May 26 to June 3, the Falcons currently face the prospect of entering WAFCON without a single competitive match in 2025. Opponents such as South Africa, Morocco, and Zambia are already ramping up preparations with friendlies, and Nigeria risks lagging behind despite remaining Africa’s top-ranked team (36th globally).
Plumptre insists that to avoid early elimination like in 2022 or fourth place in 2018, "we must treat every game as a final" in Morocco. The squad acknowledges its talent but understands that without consistent build-up and tactical tuning, ambition may falter.
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Editorial
We share Ashleigh Plumptre’s concern the absence of warm-up matches in 2025 is a glaring oversight. Football success is forged not in declarations but in disciplined preparation, repetition, and competitive stress. A trimmed calendar might economise time, but it risks leaving sharp edges on an otherwise polished squad.
Despite possessing individual brilliance veterans like Oshoala and emerging talents like Abiodun a void remains in match readiness. Nigeria’s youth and experience blend offers versatility, but only if unified through live-game scenarios.
It is incumbent upon the NFF to convert talk into action. Scheduling quality friendlies before WAFCON is not optional it is a strategic necessity. Without this, even the strongest teams can stumble when stakes rise. We firmly believe that by treating every fixture as do or die, and demanding intensity from day one, Nigeria can harness its collective ability. Victory in Morocco depends on forging unity under fire only then can true champions emerge.
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Did You Know?
The Super Falcons have won the WAFCON tournament a record nine times, more than any other nation.
Nigeria last secured the continental crown in 2018, before fourth at the 2022 [edition](https://pipewiki.org/wiki/index.php/User:ArtMessenger).
The May–June 2025 FIFA women’s window was the final build-up opportunity for WAFCON, occurring just one month before the tournament.
Rivals such as South Africa and Morocco have already played competitive friendlies in 2025—Nigeria has yet to do so.
Key midfielders like Christiana Obia, Deborah Abiodun, and Jennifer Echegini have earned senior call-ups after standout showings at the U‑20 and U‑17 levels.