Demehin recalls winning WAFCON at first attempt

AS Roma of Italy forward Omorinsola Babajide was the latest player to arrive at the Super Falcons’ camp in Casablanca yesterday evening, bringing the number of players in camp to 12, following the arrival of new Inter Milan Women signing Toni Payne earlier in the day.

Also in the camp are Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Asisat Oshoala and Christy Ucheibe.

The rest of the initial squad currently training in Morocco consists of Glory Ogbonna, Fatima Oloko, Oluwatosin Demehin, Rofiat Imuran, and Shukurat Oladipo.

The team is using Casablanca as their base camp to prepare for their Group C matchups against Egypt, Malawi, and Zambia, as well as an upcoming friendly match against Ghana.

Meanwhile, defence stalwart Oluwatosin Demehin has recalled with excitement how she won the Women Africa Cup of Nations gold in her first tournament with 10-time champions Super Falcons of Nigeria, saying the feat has boosted her confidence and pushes her to do even more when wearing the green-and-white.

“Winning the gold medal and the team lifting the Cup in my first Women AFCON always makes me feel special. It also gives me enormous confidence when we are playing a match or playing a tournament. It showed me what is possible with hard work and teamwork.

“That success has continued to motivate me to keep improving, to keep helping the team in every way I can, and it is my driving force to fight with the team to defend our title in Morocco.”

Demehin, who plays her club football for Galatasaray Sportive women in Turkey, has been a rock for the Super Falcons at the back since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia & New Zealand, and played a key role in the Falcons’ successful Mission X in Morocco last summer.

She has no doubt that the tournament will be more competitive this time, following the expansion to 16 teams, but is confident the Falcons have the steel and the savvy to achieve glory.

“It will be tough, as more teams are getting stronger in Africa. We are motivated to succeed, but we must be consistent, compact at the rear, fluid in midfield and clinical in attack.”