SOUTH AFRICA SHOCKS NIGERIA IN AFRICA WOMEN’S CUP OF NATIONS

South Africa’s women team, Banyana Banyana on Sunday in Cape Coast, Ghana shocked Nigeria’s Super Falcons 0-1, in the Group B of the Africa Women’s Nations Cup. The Nigerian side was the defending champions and went into the game with a scorecard of 13 previous wins two drawn games and a loss to South Africa.

Thus, Sunday’s loss was the second the Nigerian women’s team suffered from South Africa in 18 encounters. The last time South Africa beat Nigeria was in 2012.

The Super Falcons were punished for the many goal chances wasted in the course of the game and thus have an Herculean task going into their next fixtures against Zambia on Wednesday.

Surprisingly, it is the first time Nigeria lost an opening match of a competition that they had dominated since inception 20 years ago. The dominance is very glaring if one considers that in 10 editions, including the last one, the Nigerian side won eight.

It was with such impressive record and having a foreign coach for the first time in the tournament that expectations were raised.

They paid dearly for the wasted opportunities when in a counterattack five minutes to end of regulation time, substitute player, Thembi Kgatlana finally broke the deadlock for Banyana with a smashing volley from a tight angle that sailed into the far corner.

The two sides played cautiously in the opening period of the match, but the Nigerians had the upper hand and created chances that were not utilized.

Mamello Makhabane for South Africa had chance to break the deadlock for Coach Desiree Ellis’ ladies two minutes before the half hour mark with a strike from outside the box that sailed wide.

Four minutes later, Desire Oparanozie had a wonderful opportunity to find the breakthrough for the Super Falcons after going through in the box unmarked, but she fired her strike over the crossbar.