Nigeria, July 29 -- Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has defended his tactical decisions following Nigeria's stunning 3-2 defeat to tournament debutants Malawi, insisting the criticism surrounding his team selection and player positioning is a natural consequence of losing.

Speaking during his post-match press conference after one of the biggest upsets in Women's Africa Cup of Nations history, Madugu accepted responsibility for the result but maintained that the players deployed outside their natural positions were not responsible for Nigeria's collapse.

The defeat leaves the defending champions under immense pressure ahead of a crucial Group C encounter against Zambia, with questions already being raised over the coach's tactical...