Omotayo Fashola
(Uchenna Kanu. Photo by Vanguard News)
Super Falcons star Uchenna Kanu has revealed the deep emotional scars left by Nigeria’s shock WAFCON quarter-final exit, admitting some teammates struggled to eat for days after their crushing defeat to Cameroon.
The defending champions’ dreams of retaining their continental crown were shattered by a narrow 1-0 loss in Casablanca, a result that also denied them automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
With Cameroon securing Africa’s direct World Cup spot, Nigeria now faces a grueling playoff battle to keep alive their remarkable streak of appearing in every Women’s World Cup since 1991.
Kanu described the locker room atmosphere as “heartbreaking,” revealing that the pain lingered long after the final whistle. Several players, including herself, went without meals for extended periods—she skipped breakfast and lunch before forcing down a late afternoon meal.
The midfielder, introduced in the first half, confessed to an emotional collapse alongside her teammates, calling the loss “a betrayal of our promises to Nigeria.” Despite delivering their best performance of the tournament, she lamented that their efforts weren’t enough.
She pointed to challenging external factors—uneven pitch conditions and questionable refereeing decisions—as partial contributors to their downfall. However, Kanu stressed the need to learn from the disappointment and shift focus to their must-win playoff against South Africa.
The Tigres UANL player remains hopeful that victory on Thursday could spark a resurgence, reigniting Nigeria’s quest to maintain their unbroken World Cup legacy.
