Ten times champions Nigeria suffered the biggest upset in WAFCON history when they were beaten by debutants Malawi in a 3-2 defeat at Rabat's Al Madina Stadium on Tuesday night.
Two goals by Temwa Chawinga sandwiched a lone effort from her sister Tabitha, with Nigeria captain Rasheedat Ajibade converting a penalty and substitute Uchenna Kanu getting the second as the Super Falcons ran out of time to stage a comeback.
In truth, the Super Falcons looked lethargic from the get-go, and despite dominating possession early on and creating several scoring opportunities, they failed to create any real clear-cut chances. Malawi always looked dangerous on the break with the pace and strength of Temwa, who was in a game-long battle with Tosin Demehin.
The Nigeria defender came out on top for most of the game, but Chawinga was not to be denied and switched her attentions to Osinachi Ohale, where she found a little more joy. She was rewarded on 73 minutes when the Nigeria defender was caught too high, the KC Current forward beat the offside trap, goalkeeepr Chiamaka Nnadozie dallied on making the clearance and Chawinga swept home.
Six minutes later, it was a sister act. Tabitha also got ahead of the Nigeria defence, and with Nnadozie again in no man's land, slipped the ball underneath the Brighton goalkeeper to leave the Super Falcons shell shocked.
Substitute Uchenna Kanu breathed some life into the Nigeria attack, and she it was who brought Some respite when her effort led to a penalty kick after her header came off the arm of Benadeta Mkandawire. After a quick VAR check, the referee awarded the penalty and captain Rasheedat Ajibade despatched it.
As Nigeria pressed for an equalizer they left themselves vulnerable to the rapid quick counterattack of Malawi and Temwa was again on hand to make it three with six minutes of stoppage time played. Kanu reduced the deficit with just about the last kick of the game as time ran out for the holders
The Super Falcons will now turn their attentions to Saturday when they face Zambia who ran rampant against Egypt in the early game of the day.
But first they will have to do some introspection on their game on a day when everything that could go wrong, did.
World Cup 2027 berth in danger
It is never too early to start winning, but it is always too early to start losing. By losing to Malawi, the Super Falcons have put their chances of making it to the World Cup in jeopardy.
This is not a knee jerk reaction. Nigeria are actually in clear and present danger of missing out on next year's World Cup on Brazil. For a team who are one of only seven to have been at every tournament since inception in 1991, this would be a monumental failure.
The Super Falcons have never failed to make the last four of this tournament, but this is the closest yet they have come to facing the ignominy of being eliminated in the group stage. And it is not hard to countenance how that could happen.
Barring any more surprises, all the teams are expected to win against Egypt, who were clobbered 6-0 by Zambia. Those goals put the Copper Queens top of the group on goals difference. If the Super Falcons do not get a win against the Zambians on Saturday, they would need to equal or better that result Egypt, and hope that Malawi beat Zambia. While that may be achievable, Egypt could well bunker down and restrict the Super Falcons to way less than that. But even that may not be enough if Zambia tie or beat Malawi. If they do, Zambia finish with at least 5 points, and at most 7, Malawi with at least 6 and at most 7 while Nigeria would finish with a maximum of 4 points.
So, for Nigerian the task is clear, nothing but a win against Zambia will do, if they want to get their primary objective of qualifying for the World Cup back on track, before they even start thinking about title number 11
Madugu's catalogue of errors cost Nigeria
Whatever Nigeria coach Justin Madugu was thinking when he rolled out his team, it was never going to end well, and it did not.
His entire back four selection was all over the place.
Deploying Michelle Alozie at left back was a bad idea. To start with, Alozie is a wide forward, converted into a defender by former coach Randy Waldrum in other to find her a place on the team. It was hard enough making her play so far out of position, and then Madugu decides to thrust her in at left back. The decision is made even worse because the coach has two natural left back in the squad, in Glory Ogbonna and Rofiat Imuran. That he did not trust them enough to play them, and instead choose a converted forward over both, is telling.
At centreback, Shukurat Oladipo was named the best defender in Serie A. She is a young, quick and capable, centreback and one who that should have been an easy pick alongside Tosin Demehin for the right centreback position, with the threat of pace and strength that Temwa Chawinga brings. Instead, Madugu opted for Osinachi Ohale, the 35-year-old whose strength has never been her pace. Oladipo was shunted to right back. The first two goals came from areas that Oladipo would and should have been covering if she was properly deployed.
In midfield, Deborah Abiodun was left on the bench When her battling, endless running and ability to drop in and cover the back four were desperately needed. And why, oh why on earth was Esther Okoronkwo sent out as the lead striker when her best position is just behind creating?
Toni Payne's entry into the game stabilized the midfield and by the time Abiodun was sent on, she helped plug most of the gaps. Uchenna Kanu brought more threat upfront when she came on and got herself into central locations, winning a penalty and kick and scoring a goal of her own from sheer tenacity and ball IQ.
Madugu is taking a lot of fire from Nigerians after this defeat and rightly so. With a win against Zambia now non-negotiable, he will need to make tweaks to that starting lineup for Saturday. The last fifteen minutes, with those substitutes in and the fight back that the Super Falcons showed, prove that they can get rescue their World Cup fat from the fire. Madugu just has to get it right.
Nnadozie's bad day at the office
First off, there is no doubt that Chiamaka Nnadozie is the best goalkeeper on the continent right now, and one of the best in the world.
It is also true that she had the probably the worst performance of her goalkeeping career on Tuesday night. While the defence had their part to play in exposing her, there was still a lot for both Chawinga sisters to do to get the ball in the net and their job was made easier by the Nigeria stopper.
Her positioning for all three goals were absolutely atrocious, her reaction times were way too slow and her decision-making, on the goals and at least three other occasions, belied her status as one of the top goalies in the world.
She almost gave away a penalty kick in the first half with her timing, going to ground early in the box. Luckily, she did get a touch on the ball, and the referee did not give it a second look. On other occasions, her timing allowed Tabitha Chawinga through and then there was another opportunity which Temwa hit straight at her. Malawi could have been a least four goals up, just off of Nnadozie's errors alone.
That was the bad news. The good news is that it is going to be hard to see her perform any worse than this. Nnadozie has always been a steady reliable for Nigeria, and she will hate to see the film of this game. If that inspires her to come out and do a Gandalf stand against the Balrog when Nigeria play Zambia, then the sins of Tuesday night will be forgiven.
The one thing she cannot afford is a repeat performance. Not only would it cost the Super Falcons a World Cup place, she could find her own spot endangered.