Nigeria revive WAFCON title defence with crucial win over Zambia

Defending champions Nigeria bounced back from their opening defeat to keep their 2026 TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia.

After suffering a shock defeat to Malawi in their opening match, the Super Falcons responded with a disciplined performance to secure their first three points of the tournament.

Nigeria defended resolutely against a dangerous Zambian side and capitalised on their opportunity to edge a closely contested encounter, reviving their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

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The Super Falcons controlled large spells of possession and created the better scoring opportunities, while Zambia threatened on the counterattack but found it difficult to break down Nigeria's organised defence.

The win was a significant response from the nine-time African champions, who came into the match under pressure following their unexpected defeat in the opening round.

Nigeria's defence remained solid throughout the contest, limiting Zambia's attacking threats and preserving a valuable clean sheet.

The victory moved Nigeria level on points with Zambia, setting up a thrilling final round of Group C fixtures as qualification for the knockout stage remains wide open.

With momentum now back on their side, the Super Falcons will head into their final group match knowing that another positive result could be enough to secure a place in the quarter-finals and keep alive their bid to retain the continental title.

For Zambia, the defeat means they must now avoid defeat in their final group game to boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stages.



PAH/MA