Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has opened up about a pivotal moment in the final of the 13th African Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON), claiming she was fully prepared to stop the penalty awarded to hosts Morocco—had VAR not intervened to disallow it.

Speaking during a victory reception held in Lagos, the Paris FC shot-stopper, recently crowned African Goalkeeper of the Year, shared her confidence in handling the pressure. “I was very confident I would save the penalty,” Nnadozie said. “The whole team was cheering me on—I was ready to shine. But in the end, it was overturned.”

Despite going two goals down early in the match, Nnadozie revealed she never lost faith. “I told the girls during the break, ‘We must not lose this match.’ The goals we conceded were from our own mistakes, but we corrected them and came back stronger.”

Her resilience reflected the spirit of the entire team, who rallied to defeat the hosts and claim their record 10th WAFCON title.

Head coach Justin Madugu also credited the team’s preparation and mentality for their success. “It’s not easy when your players are scattered across the globe and you only have a few days to train,” he noted. “But this team knows how to rise to any occasion.”

Madugu addressed the public criticism the Falcons often face, emphasizing the importance of staying focused: “You can’t please everyone. We welcome constructive criticism, but negativity won’t shake us. I know what this team is made of.”

With voices like Nnadozie’s leading from the back and Madugu’s calm guidance from the sidelines, the Super Falcons continue to show why they remain queens of African football.