Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has clarified his decision to leave out Asisat Oshoala from Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming double header international friendlies against the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
Madugu released a 25 player list for the two friendly matches last week, with Oshoala’s absence drawing attention given her impressive performances for Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal. The 31 year old forward has been in strong form at club level, making her omission a notable talking point ahead of the games.
Despite the exclusion, Justine Madugu insisted that the former Barcelona striker remains a key part of his long term plans, particularly with the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on the horizon.
“It’s a friendly match, and it’s important we give others opportunity to show what they can do,” Madugu said in an exclusive chat with Completesports.com.
“We all want the best for the country. We know what she (Oshoala ) can offer, so the two friendlies is an opportunity for us to see others too. It’s chance for us to see new things.
“Asisat is still part of the team, and there should not be any uproar about her exclusion for the upcoming games.”
The friendlies are part of Nigeria’s build up to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Falcons will compete in Group C alongside Zambia, Egypt and Malawi. The draw for the tournament was conducted in January at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco.
Nigeria will head into the competition aiming to extend their record as the most successful team in the history of the tournament by winning an 11th continental title. However, Madugu has acknowledged that the competition is expected to be tougher than ever.
“It’s a good one (the draw) because any team that qualify to play in a tournament like the WAFCON deserves respect, and no team can be underrated considering the fact that everyone is doing what they can do develop their game,” Justine Madugu added.
“A lot investments are coming in now. We can see that the standard of women’s football in Africa has grown. Now, we have players playing abroad, from different countries.
“You can find professionals from different countries in Africa now, unlike in the past when it used to be very few countries in West Africa.
“Now, it is a global thing. On the level of that, and the investment countries are putting into the development of women’s football, you know it is not going to be easy,” Madugu added.
With preparations continuing, the Super Falcons will use the Cameroon friendlies to assess squad depth and fine tune their approach as they target another successful campaign on the continental stage.
