By Samuel Akpan
Super Falcons defender Oluwatosin Demehin has credited her maiden Women’s AFCON gold medal win with boosting her confidence and serving as a lasting motivation as Nigeria looks to defend the title in Morocco.
The Turkey-based Galatasaray star has anchored the Falcons defence since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and was central to their Mission X success in Morocco last summer.
Speaking about the personal significance of that breakthrough, Demehin said: “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 team work.”
She further noted that the success remains a powerful driver: “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 is realistic about the challenges of the expanded tournament.
“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.”
The squad’s preparations gained momentum on Thursday with two notable arrivals.
Inter Milan Women’s new signing, Toni Payne, joined the Casablanca camp in the afternoon, followed by AS Roma forward Omorinsola Babajide later that evening.
Their arrivals bring the total number of players in camp to 12.
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