Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has suggested that goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie could be left out of the starting lineup when Nigeria face South Africa in their crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup playoff clash.
The possibility comes after Nnadozie’s costly mistake in Nigeria’s 1 0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarter finals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
The Brighton goalkeeper struggled to handle Maeva Nyadjou’s free kick in the 19th minute, with her attempt to stop the delivery ending with the ball going into her own net. The goal proved decisive as Cameroon held on to secure a place in the next round.
The defeat was a major setback for the Super Falcons, ending their hopes of winning a record extending 11th WAFCON title. It also meant Nigeria missed out on automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Nigeria must now overcome South Africa on Thursday to remain in contention for a place at the global tournament. A victory over Desiree Ellis’ Banyana Banyana would send the Super Falcons into the inter confederation playoffs and keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Madugu admitted that the technical crew would assess the team carefully before deciding on the lineup for the decisive encounter. He also indicated that other goalkeeping options could be considered.
“It is natural that when things like this happen, we have to do an overall assessment of the team,” Madugu said.
“We need to look at what went wrong, what we did well and where we made mistakes. We have to assess everything and see what we can do in the shortest possible time before the next game against South Africa.
“There is nothing bad in exploring other players.”
