Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu says Esther Okoronkwo chose to shoot rather than pass to Asisat Oshoala because she believed she had a realistic chance of scoring in Nigeria’s 1-0 quarter-final defeat by Cameroon at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria were searching for an equaliser in the closing stages when Okoronkwo broke into a dangerous position. Oshoala was also available and appeared to be in a better position to receive the ball, but Okoronkwo attempted to finish the chance herself.
The decision has prompted questions over whether the incident could lead to tension within the Super Falcons squad. Madugu rejected that suggestion and said Okoronkwo’s choice was made in the belief that she could level the match.
I’m sure she felt she could score. That was why she made the attempt. She probably could have passed the ball to Asisat, who was in a better position to score. That is not to say there is any division. There is no division,” he said in a post-match press conference.
Madugu also insisted that the defeat had not caused disagreements inside the Nigeria camp. The coach said the players remained united and were continuing to work towards the same objective, despite the disappointment of losing in the last eight.
“To the best of my knowledge, there is no problem in the camp. There are no camps within the team. They are all on the same page. They have been working together for Nigeria. It’s just one of those things that happened in the course of a game.”
The result ended Nigeria’s attempt to retain the Wafcon title and prevented the ten-time African champions from securing an automatic place at the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Their hopes of reaching the tournament are not over, however. Nigeria will have another opportunity to remain in contention when they meet South Africa in the Wafcon play-off on Thursday, August 13.
That match forms part of the qualification process for Africa’s two places in the intercontinental play-offs for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The route gives the Super Falcons a further chance to pursue World Cup qualification after their quarter-final defeat by Cameroon.
Madugu’s comments were intended to draw a line under the incident involving Okoronkwo and Oshoala, with the coach maintaining that there was no split within the squad. His explanation was that Okoronkwo’s decision reflected her assessment of the opportunity in the moment rather than any problem between the two players.
Nigeria must now focus on the play-off against South Africa, with their Wafcon title defence over but their bid to reach the 2027 Women’s World Cup still alive.
