Nigeria’s head coach, Justin Madugu, has described his decision to include 11 debutants in the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations squad as a calculated risk — one that is already yielding results.
Six first-timers featured in the Super Falcons’ commanding 3-0 win over Tunisia, with standout displays from Rinsola Babajide and Esther Okoronkwo. Babajide scored one and assisted another, while Okoronkwo came off the bench to set up the third and earned Woman of the Match honours.
Also Read: Madugu’s Bold WAFCON Gamble Pays Off as Falcons Eye Record
Five other newcomers could feature in Thursday’s Group B clash against Botswana, as Nigeria look to maintain momentum and rewrite the tournament’s defensive history. A clean sheet in Casablanca would mark their first back-to-back shutouts to start a WAFCON campaign since 1998.
Botswana, still seeking their first-ever clean sheet at the finals, face an uphill task after losing their opener to Algeria.
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