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Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu is set to ring changes in his starting 11 against South Africa in Thursday’s 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Playoff by dropping goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Nnadozie was at fault for Cameroon’s winning goal in Sunday’s 1-0 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations defeat.
The reigning champions were unceremoniously dumped out of the biennial showpiece after Maeva Nyadjou’s thundering free-kick beat Nnadozie at her near post in the 20th minute of the quarterfinal clash in Casablanca.
While Nnadozie got both hands to the effort, which was struck from 30 yards, she was only able to push the ball into her own net, in a moment that ultimately proved decisive.
“Chiamaka has been a wonderful goalkeeper, not just for the national team, but also for her club,” head coach Madugu said after the match, “but anyone can make mistakes at any time.
“These [mistakes] can be costly, as it has been for us today, but that’s not to say she’s a bad goalkeeper.”
While offering some support for his goalkeeper, Madugu acknowledged that he would consider the other options in his squad before the team’s World Cup ‘play-in’ against South Africa on Thursday.
“It’s natural that when things like this happen, we have to do an overall assessment of the team,” Madugu continued, “what went wrong, what we did well, where we got it wrong.
“We have to do an overall assessment and see what we can do in the shortest possible time before the next game against South Africa.
“There’s nothing bad in exploring other players.”
