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Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo believes Nigeria have every reason to bounce back strongly when they face Zambia next, despite a bruising 3-2 opening loss to debutants Malawi at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Okoronkwo, who was withdrawn late on for Asisat Oshoala, struck a hopeful tone after the match, insisting the setback is one the squad can learn from and correct quickly.
She was at the centre of one of the match’s biggest flashpoints, going down in the box before the break in what looked a clear penalty shout — only for referee Aline Umutoni to wave play on. Rather than dwell on the call, Okoronkwo chose to look forward.
“I don’t know what the referee saw but it should have been looked at,” she said. “But it is what it is, I didn’t get it, so I won’t complain or talk about it. I think in the next game we have to come out better than we did in this game.”
She was equally candid about the team’s performance, but framed it as fixable rather than alarming. “We came out a little flat but it is what it is. We will go back and learn our lessons and where we should fix and come out better in the next game.”
That next test is a big one — Zambia, who look sharp after thrashing Egypt 6-0, now top Group C, with Nigeria down in third. But there’s reason for optimism: the Super Falcons have shown before they can raise their level under pressure, and a win over Zambia would go a long way toward repairing their group standing and keeping their title defence — and World Cup qualification hopes — firmly alive. With senior figures like Oshoala now in the fold and a squad determined to put things right, Nigeria will be eager to show the Malawi result was a blip, not a trend.
