Falcons Ready to Die on the Pitch for Victory — Ajibade

Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade has declared that Nigeria’s players were prepared to give everything on the pitch rather than suffer consecutive defeats at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Ajibade made the remarks after Nigeria secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Zambia in their second Group B match, a result that revived the defending champions’ hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.

The Super Falcons entered the encounter under immense pressure after suffering a surprise 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi in their opening fixture.

Their challenge became even more difficult shortly before halftime when defender Oluwatosin Demehin was shown a red card for bringing down Zambia captain Barbra Banda, forcing Nigeria to play with 10 players for the remainder of the match.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Asisat Oshoala’s early eighth-minute goal proved decisive as Nigeria held on to claim their first win and first clean sheet of the tournament.

Reflecting on the performance, Ajibade said the players knew victory was non-negotiable following the disappointment against Malawi.

“I’m good. The Lord is my strength. I’m good,” she said.

“Well, not from the anger of the Malawi game. We knew that we just had to win. It’s either we die on that pitch. So we’re playing with every energy, the strength, the spirit within us to win this game. There’s no time to relax.”

The Nigerian captain also revealed that her faith kept her calm after Demehin’s dismissal, insisting she remained confident the team would secure victory despite facing one of Africa’s strongest attacking sides.

“Honestly, I wasn’t worried. I was going onto the pitch with the word of God because I knew when God said He’s going to help us, so I held on to God’s word,” she said.

Ajibade added that difficult moments often provide opportunities for God’s intervention and glory.

Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie produced several important saves while Nigeria’s defence resisted sustained pressure from Zambia’s attacking duo of Barbra Banda and Rachael Kundananji.

The victory leaves Nigeria needing at least a draw against Egypt in their final group match on Wednesday to secure qualification for the quarter-finals as they continue their quest for a record-extending 11th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.