Nigeria v Banyana: ‘They took the crown from us, we want to do the same'
Tuesday's clash marks the 12th Wafcon meeting between the nations, with Nigeria holding historical dominance but South Africa showing recent ascendancy.
Both coaches, Madugu and Desiree Ellis, are operating without formal contracts, highlighting administrative challenges within their respective federations.
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Nigeria head coach Justin Madugu has labelled South Africa as favourites ahead of their Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) semi-final clash in Casablanca on Tuesday – a bold adds fuel to an already fiery rivalry.
Set to unfold at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, this semi-final marks the 12th Wafcon meeting (24th overall) between the Super Falcons and Banyana Banyana – Africa's top two women's national teams.
While history leans heavily in Nigeria's favour, recent trends have shown that the gap has narrowed significantly.
Nigeria, nine-time champions of the competition, have won eight of those previous 11 Wafcon encounters against South Africa, scoring 16 goals to Banyana's five.
READ | Banyana's resilience, courage keeping Afcon fairytale alive
Yet, the reigning champions from South Africa are no longer the underdogs they once were. South Africa memorably beat Nigeria in the group stage of the 2022 edition before going on to lift their first Wafcon title.
Madugu's comments, whether mind games or genuine admiration, acknowledge the evolution of Desiree Ellis's side.
The narrative heading into this titanic clash is layered with storylines – revenge, redemption and respect.
'They have a very good team. For them to have won all their games to get them to where they are, obviously, we must appreciate and respect what they have done. So, we are not taking that for granted.
'You know football games can be very deceiving sometimes. You don't judge teams based on what you see, particularly in their last game – yes, they have played four games, and we have seen it. But I keep saying, each game comes with change; their approach might not be the same.
'But the prestige is equally there, so we are not looking at them as underdogs. They will be favourites as defending champions. They took the crown from us, and we want to do the same.'
While the Super Falcons and Banyana Banyana are long-standing rivals on the pitch, their journeys off it mirror each other in striking ways.
Both national teams have had to navigate tense political undercurrents and recurring disputes with their governing bodies – the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the South African Football Association (SAFA) – particularly around issues of unpaid bonuses and lack of support.
Incredibly, as they prepare to face off in a high-stakes semi-final, both head coaches, Madugu and Ellis, find themselves in similar contractual limbo.
Neither are currently operating under a formal deal with their respective federations – a situation that highlights deeper systemic issues but also underscores their quiet resilience.
Despite the uncertainty, Madugu and Ellis have led with remarkable composure, galvanising their respective squads and driving them to the brink of continental glory.
For Madugu, he is opting to keep his troops calm and focused on preparing for the game instead.
'With every game, there will always be pressure. The pressure of wanting to win, wanting to do well and the opposition also comes with some extra pressure.
'But we are managing ourselves well. We are not allowing to distract or unsettle the team. The girls are fully focused. We all know what is at stake and we'll make our country happy.'
Nigeria will enter Tuesday's semi-final with an attacking edge and momentum. They have scored nine goals in four matches, second only to hosts Morocco (10).
The Super Falcons brushed aside Tunisia (3-0), edged Botswana (1-0), and were held to a goalless draw by Algeria to close their group stage campaign. But it was their dominant 5-0 quarter-final victory over Zambia that reaffirmed their credentials as tournament heavyweights.
South Africa, meanwhile, have taken a less convincing but determined path. A 2-0 win over Ghana opened their account before a frustrating 1-1 draw with Tanzania disrupted their rhythm.
A 4-0 rout of Mali restored some confidence, but they were dragged into extra-time and penalties by a physical Senegalese outfit in the last eight. Banyana held their nerve in the shootout, eventually advancing 4-1, keeping their goal tally at seven – the third-highest of the competition.
While Nigeria have dazzled with flair and firepower, Banyana have ground out results with grit, structure and a bit of luck.
For Nigeria's star forward, Esther Okoronkwo, she's not bothered by the opponent.
'We go into every game with the same mentality and the same motive to want to win regardless of the opponent that is in front of us,' she said.
'We're prepared and ready to go tomorrow. We're not looking at team stats or however they did, we're focused on what we're going to do.'
Kick-off is at 18:00 (SA time) on Tuesday.
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