WAFCON 2026: Nigeria vs Zambia - Six key lessons from Super Falcons’ gritty win

The Super Falcons have reignited their 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia. This crucial win comes after a surprising opening defeat to Malawi, bolstering Nigeria's hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.

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Six-time African Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala proved the difference, scoring the decisive goal in the eighth minute after latching onto a perfectly weighted through ball from captain Rasheedat Ajibade before calmly finishing beyond the Zambian goalkeeper.

Six-time African Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala proved to be the difference-maker, scoring the decisive goal in the eighth minute. She capitalized on a perfectly weighted through ball from captain Rasheedat Ajibade, calmly finishing past the Zambian goalkeeper.

Nigeria's path to victory became significantly more challenging when defender Oluwatosin Demehin received a red card in the first half. However, the 10-time African champions showcased a disciplined defensive performance, successfully withstanding Zambian pressure to secure the vital three points.

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Nigeria’s task became significantly harder after Oluwatosin Demehin was sent off in the first half, but the 10-time African champions produced a disciplined defensive display to hold off Zambia and claim a priceless three points.

Head coach Justin Madugu made five changes to the starting lineup following widespread criticism after the loss to Malawi. These tactical adjustments, including the return of veterans like Oshoala, Christy Ucheibe, and Uchenna Kanu, along with Deborah Abiodun and tournament debutant Rofiat Imuran, resulted in a more cohesive and aggressive team.

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Following widespread criticism after the 3-2 defeat to Malawi, head coach Justin Madugu reshuffled his starting lineup, making five changes that transformed the team’s performance.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) played a pivotal role in a dramatic first half. While VAR overturned an initial yellow card for Demehin, it later upgraded a second yellow to a straight red card after Demehin denied Zambia's captain Barbra Banda a clear goal-scoring opportunity as the last defender. Despite the contentious decision, Nigeria's resilience and tactical discipline ultimately secured the win.

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Initially, Demehin was booked for bringing down Zambia captain Barbra Banda, but VAR overturned both the yellow card and the resulting free-kick after confirming Banda had been offside before the challenge.