Ajibade demands winning start

Nigeria's captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, has stressed that the Super Falcons expect nothing less than a victory in their opening match of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations against Malawi on Tuesday night.

Speaking at the team's pre-match press conference in Rabat, the Atletico Madrid forward conveyed a positive and focused mood within the camp. "The team's spirit is high. Everyone is fully focused. We know why we're here and we are ready to take things one step at a time. So we're 100 percent ready," Ajibade stated.

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The team’s spirit is high. Everyone is fully focused. We know why we’re here and we are ready to take things one step at a time. So we’re 100 percent ready.

The Super Falcons will begin their Group C campaign against tournament debutants Malawi at Stade El Barid. While Nigeria is considered the favorite, Ajibade expressed the team's intention to approach every opponent with humility and respect. She acknowledged the progress of women's football across Africa, noting Malawi's qualification as a testament to their development and investment in the sport.

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A good performance for the Super Falcons is to win three points because that’s what matters in this tournament. You can talk about how you play, the tactics and everything else, but if you do all that and don’t win, I don’t think it counts for anything.

Ajibade emphasized that in tournament football, results are paramount. "A good performance for the Super Falcons is to win three points because that's what matters in this tournament. You can talk about how you play, the tactics and everything else, but if you do all that and don't win, I don't think it counts for anything," she said.

She also appealed to Nigerian fans for continued support, describing it as a crucial factor in the Falcons' past successes. "We see their support, we see their love and how much they want us to win. Their support has always been instrumental to our success. We want them to replicate that energy and even double it because we need it to keep raising the standard and keep flying the flag of our nation high. We will do everything possible to make them proud."

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We see their support, we see their love and how much they want us to win. Their support has always been instrumental to our success. We want them to replicate that energy and even double it because we need it to keep raising the standard and keep flying the flag of our nation high. We will do everything possible to make them proud.

Beyond the immediate tournament goals, Ajibade advocated for stakeholders to prioritize creating a safe and supportive environment for female athletes. She believes that while infrastructure is important, fostering the right environment is key to increasing participation and retention in women's football.

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It’s all about creating the right environment. When athletes feel safe to express themselves and develop, participation and retention will increase. Infrastructure is important, but without the right environment, we won’t achieve our goals.