Ucheibe attributes Malawi defeat to game’s growth
July 30, 2026 12:05 am
File: Super Falcons
By Peter Akinbo
Nigeria midfielder Christy Ucheibe has attributed the Super Falcons’ shock 3-2 defeat to Malawi at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations to the rising standard of women’s football across the continent, rather than any specific failing on Nigeria’s part, while vowing the team will respond with a better performance against Zambia.
The 10-time champions were beaten stunningly in their Group C opener in Rabat on Tuesday, with the match goalless at halftime before Malawi’s Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha, struck twice and once respectively in the second half to give the Scorchers a two-goal cushion. Rasheedat Ajibade pulled one back for Nigeria in stoppage time, but Temwa restored Malawi’s advantage before Uchenna Kanu’s late strike proved only a consolation.
Ucheibe, who watched the game from the bench, said the result reflected the growing competitiveness of women’s football in Africa rather than any deep-rooted problem within the Super Falcons squad.
“I’m going to say it’s football. Nothing went wrong; both teams played very well, and that’s just football for you. You lose, you win, or you draw. But either way, you bounce back.
“In the next game against Zambia, we will try our best to get through this phase so we can qualify for the World Cup and defend our title,” the Benfica midfielder said.
She also revealed that the players and coaching staff held a brief pitch-side meeting after the final whistle to reset the squad’s mindset.
“The message was just to cheer up and keep our heads up. It’s not the end of the tournament; it’s just the beginning.
“Back in 2018, the same thing happened against South Africa, when they won the first game but came back to win the tournament,” Ucheibe said, adding that Malawi’s improvement was part of a wider continental trend.
“Every team on the continent is stepping up now. Malawi is a good team; they put up a strong fight, and so did we. Hopefully, in the next game, we will set the standard and make things right,” she said.
Nigeria will need a positive result against Zambia on Saturday to remain in contention for the semi-finals, with the Copper Queens fresh off a commanding 6-0 win over Egypt in their own opener.
Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories
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