Nigeria football legend Segun Odegbami has taken aim at the Super Falcons following their dull 1-1 draw with Benin Republic in Tuesday’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifier in Abeokuta, Soccernet.ng reports.
The result, though enough to seal Nigeria’s passage to the 2026 WAFCON with a 3-1 aggregate victory, has been met with sharp criticism from fans who expected a commanding display from Africa’s most decorated women’s team.
The return leg at the MKO Abiola Stadium was widely anticipated to be a celebration of Nigerian dominance.
The Super Falcons, 10-time African champions and the only African nation to have qualified for every FIFA Women’s World Cup, had beaten Benin 2-0 in Lome and were expected to cruise through in style.
But that didn’t happen. Ranked 36th in the world and first in Africa, the Falcons were out of rhythm, slow in transition, and often disjointed in possession against a Benin side placed 144th globally and 27th in Africa.
Fans who came expecting fireworks left underwhelmed, among them, the legendary Odegbami himself.
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“Super Falcons could not fly” — Odegbami delivers scathing verdict
Writing in his weekend column, Odegbami did not hold back in his assessment of the match.
“Last Tuesday, the Falcons could not fly,” he wrote.
“The football match against Benin Republic women’s national team was anticlimactic. The Falcons, current champions of African women’s football, did not do justice to their huge reputation. For whatever reasons, the team did not play like champions at all.
“It was a match between two teams struggling to string any number of passes together. Both teams kept pumping balls into the air, whereas their strength lies in keeping the ball on the turf where they needed to do less to keep close control of the ball.
“Launching these long high balls into each other’s territory required great ball controlling skills that the girls lacked. Most of the players needed two or three touches on the ball to keep it under control and in their possession in order to orchestrate something.
“For the 95 minutes duration of that match, there were hardly any discernible strategies, organised play, or team tactics.”
Odegbami's criticism mirrors the frustration of many who believe the Super Falcons’ football has grown increasingly mechanical since the departure of long-term head coach Randy Waldrum.
Despite qualification, the performance has cast early doubt on coach Justine Madugu, who is on a new two-year contract with the Nigeria Football Federation. With the 2026 WAFCON looming, Madugu must find a formula to restore fluency, confidence, and entertainment to the team’s play.
