Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade has revealed how Nigeria’s women’s national team clawed their way back from a two-goal deficit to secure a historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in stunning fashion against hosts Morocco.
Trailing 2–0 at halftime, the Falcons looked dead and buried before producing one of the most dramatic comebacks in the tournament’s history to win 3–2, igniting nationwide and around the world.
“It was a tough pill to swallow” – Rasheedat Ajibade on Halftime Emotions
Ajibade, known for her fierce determination and leadership on and off the pitch, opened up in detail about the pressure, pain, and the pivotal team talk that changed everything at halftime.
“It’s an incredible honor and we don’t take it for granted. We’re happy that we could bring smiles to the face of Nigeria and to be honest, it wasn’t easy. It was really challenging, a tough one,” Ajibade said.
“We played against, you know, an amazing host nation at home. We saw what happened last time and we already knew something similar to that is going to happen because we know they’ll go all out to win this time because they wouldn’t want to host twice and, you know, eventually lose the trophy.”
“But yeah, losing first half, 2-0 down, it was really a tough pill for us to swallow that moment.”
“The locker room was the turning point” – Rasheedat Ajibade
The ex-Atlético Madrid player described how the team used the break not to sulk but to regroup, rebuild belief, and unleash their true selves.
“We felt sad but we knew that we’ve got the talent, we’ve got the skill,” Ajibade explained.
“When we went back to the locker room, we told ourselves we have the capacity. All we just need to do is just get one goal back and the moment we get one goal back, everything changes because, you know, we have the spirit, we have the fighting spirit to turn things around.”
“So it’s just about pushing ourselves and telling ourselves that, guys, we need to believe in ourselves this time. And all the effort, all the hard work, all the trainings and everything, we’ve put in sacrifices. It’s going to go to trash if we don’t come up.”
“So in the second half, [we had] to just prove ourselves and redeem our image because we know that we are a better team and, yeah, we can, we have everything to win the game.”
Super Falcons Calls for Support
Ajibade also used the occasion to call on all stakeholders from government to federation, fans and the diaspora — to rally behind women’s football like never before.
“As we celebrate this 10th WAFCON title, let it be a spark that ignites a new era for Nigerian women’s football,” she declared.
“Let us unite as government, football federation, players, citizens and diaspora in a shared vision to make the Super Falcons not just African proud, but world standard. Together, we can achieve greatness that echoes for generations.”
“The Super Falcons are ready to soar higher with your support, and the sky is just the beginning.”
