Nigeria’s Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu, has hailed his team’s mental toughness and strategic adaptability as the driving forces behind their stunning comeback victory over the host nation in the final of the just-concluded women’s tournament.
The Super Falcons were trailing 2-0 before the end of the first half in front of a hostile home crowd. But according to Madugu, the belief to stage a comeback never wavered within the squad.
It was not easy playing the host country and trailing by two goals in the first half,” he admitted during the post-match press conference. “But we had the belief. We knew we could come back. The players showed mental resilience, and that gave us the edge.” Despite a shaky first half, Madugu said his coaching team kept the players motivated rather than making panic decisions.
We kept encouraging them not to give up,” he said. “We talked to them individually and collectively, and eventually in the second half, they came out stronger and did better.”
The game plan, he revealed, had been drawn up with multiple scenarios in mind, including going behind early. He defended his timing on substitutions, insisting they were all part of a broader tactical shift designed to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses as the game evolved.
“When you prepare for a match, you have a plan A, B and sometimes C,” he explained. “If one doesn’t work, you adjust. Initially, we followed the game plan but had to switch tactics once we began chasing the game. That was when we made the changes.”
Addressing controversy from the final, Madugu confirmed reports that laser lights were pointed at Super Falcons players, a tactic often used to distract opponents. He said the team anticipated the possibility and stayed focused regardless.
“We knew it might happen, because it has happened before,” he said. “But it didn’t affect the team. They stayed focused and got the job done.”
