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| Benin Republic women’s national team head coach, Abdoulaye Ouzerou |
The Benin Republic women’s national team head coach, Abdoulaye Ouzerou, has expressed optimism about his team’s chances of overcoming Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the second leg of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers today in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
After a thorough analysis of their first-leg meeting last week, Ouzerou believes his squad is better prepared to challenge the Nigerians for a spot in the tournament.
Today (Tuesday), the Benin Amazons will face the Super Falcons in Abeokuta for the decisive return match in the second round of the 2026 WAFCON qualifiers. The Nigerian team, led by Coach Justine Madugu, holds the advantage following a convincing 2-0 victory last Friday in Lome, Togo.
Standout midfielder Deborah Abiodun provided two assists that set up goals by Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo, securing a strong away win.
Despite last week’s setback, Coach Ouzerou remains upbeat about his young team’s ability to stage a comeback. In a pre-match interview in Abeokuta, he said, “We didn’t know Nigeria well before the first leg, but now we have studied the Falcons carefully. On Tuesday, we will put everything on the line. If we get even one opportunity, we will seize it fully. Our team is youthful, and we are determined to give our best to qualify.”
Ouzerou added, “A 2-0 loss at home is challenging, but not insurmountable. We will approach the match with full strength and faith in our ability to turn the tie around.”
The Benin Amazons arrived in Abeokuta on Sunday and trained once on Monday. In contrast, the Super Falcons had two training sessions across Sunday and Monday as they prepare to secure their place in Morocco 2026 and defend the continental crown they claimed earlier this year.
The Super Falcons clinched a record 10th WAFCON title in July after a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against hosts Morocco in the final.
For today’s crucial encounter at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed an experienced officiating team, led by referee Dominique Rosa Hanjavola from Madagascar. Zimbabwean Claris Simango and Madagascan Hasimbola Rasoloniaina will assist as referees, with Zimbabwe’s Grace Gimo as the fourth official.
The match commissioner will be Christine Ziga of Ghana, and Ndeye Fatou Seye from Senegal will serve as referee assessor.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 pm in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as both teams battle to book their ticket to the prestigious tournament in Morocco.
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