Ex-assistant coach Monsur urges calm for Banyana test

Mansur Abdullahi, the former assistant coach of Nigeria's Super Falcons, has urged the team to remain composed and make the most of their upcoming World Cup play-off match against South Africa. Speaking to PUNCH Sports Extra, the Technical Director of Sokoto United and Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association defended the team's performance at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, insisting it was better than it was portrayed.

"The truth is that Falcons did not play the way people think," Abdullahi stated. He advised the team to "calm down, make use of the opportunity that comes their way on Thursday and get the slot for the next step." Abdullahi, who previously called for better investment in grassroots women's football structures, has been urging patience with the current players despite growing scrutiny over the technical staff following the team's quarter-final loss to Cameroon.

Nigeria must beat Banyana Banyana in Casablanca on Thursday to advance to the FIFA Intercontinental Play-Off Tournament, with the winner earning a spot at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.