Botswana women’s national team head coach Alex Malete says his team will look to capitalise on any mistakes by the Super Falcons when both sides meet on Thursday in a crucial Group B fixture at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Mares will face a daunting challenge against Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s football team, who started their WAFCON campaign in dominant fashion with a 3-0 victory over Tunisia. Botswana, meanwhile, are under pressure after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Algeria in their opening match at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.
Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated showdown, Malete acknowledged the quality of Nigeria’s squad but stressed that his team would approach the match with a clear strategy — staying composed, playing to their strengths, and exploiting any weaknesses they can find in the Super Falcons’ play.
“We have to be calm and not desperate when we face Nigeria,” Malete told SABC Sport. “We have to be able to express ourselves in terms of things that we do well. Look at Nigeria as well and see what they do well and see what they struggle with and do our best to use that to our advantage.”
Despite their underdog status, Botswana have been steadily developing in women’s football and made their WAFCON debut in 2022. On that occasion, they faced the Super Falcons in the group stage and put up a spirited performance, losing narrowly 1-0 to Nigeria, thanks to a strike from Ifeoma Onumonu.
This time around, Malete hopes his side can go one better and take something from the match, even if it’s a draw, to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages alive. With just the top two teams in each group and the best third-placed teams advancing, Thursday’s encounter could prove pivotal.
Nigeria, coached by Justine Madugu, looked sharp in their tournament opener. Goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Toni Payne, and Rasheedat Ajibade helped them secure all three points against Tunisia and sent a strong message to other contenders. The team showed fluidity in attack and solid organisation at the back — traits Botswana must contend with if they are to pull off an upset.
Malete, however, remains optimistic. His belief has been boosted by the return of two key players who missed the first game. According to Botswana FA sources, attacking midfielder Kesegofetse Mochawe and centre-back Dineo Magoleng are expected to be fit and available for selection, bringing both creativity and defensive stability to the Mares’ line-up.
“The return of key players is a boost for us. We need every advantage we can get,” Malete added. “Nigeria is a very good team, but we must believe in our own process.”
The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to dominate possession and create chances, but as recent tournaments have shown, underdogs can spring surprises. With increasing competitiveness across African women’s football, no team can be underestimated.
WAFCON 2024 has already seen dramatic matches and standout performances, and Thursday’s clash promises to be no different. For Nigeria, it’s a chance to confirm early qualification to the knockout stages. For Botswana, it’s an opportunity to make history by earning their first-ever point against the Super Falcons on the continental stage.
Kick-off at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time. All eyes will be on Casablanca as two teams with very different histories meet, both with everything to play for.
