Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie said Nigeria "gave everything" but still lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final in Casablanca on Sunday.
This loss ended Nigeria’s chance to win an 11th WAFCON title and was their first quarter-final defeat in the tournament's history.
Cameroon scored first in the 19th minute with a brilliant free-kick from Maéva Nyadjou that went into the top corner.
The Falcons tried hard to equalize, especially in the second half. But Cameroon’s goalkeeper Michaely Bihina made several key saves to keep Nigeria from scoring. Esther Okoronkwo also missed a late chance in stoppage time as Nigeria's hopes of reaching the semi-finals faded.
Nnadozie said the team was disappointed with their performance but remained hopeful for their next match against South Africa on Thursday. A win could secure them a spot in the 2027 Women’s World Cup inter-confederation play-offs.
"It was a very difficult game. We played our hearts out, we gave everything out, but it wasn’t enough to get the victory today. We missed a lot of chances," Nnadozie said after the match.
"Everyone is not happy with the performance. We’ve spoken to ourselves and I believe that we will go back to the drawing board. We’re trying to get it right," she added.
"The coach has been cheering us up, telling us well done. We really appreciate that from him.
"This is football, it happens. So, Thursday, let’s keep hope and we’ll go there and make the most of it."
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