AWCON
Banyana upstage Falcons for the third time
Nigeria’s Super Falcons were off to a faulty start in their quest for a 10th title win in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
They were upstaged by a more determined and focused Banyana of South Africa who beat them 2-1.
It is the third time South Africa beat Nigeria in their last four encounters. Both met in the opening stage of the last edition in Ghana. South Africa won 1-0.
They met again in the final match which ended goalless before Super Falcons prevailed on penalties. They were pitched together in the final match of the Aisha Buhari Cup in Lagos. Surprisingly, South Africa won 4-2 in Lagos.
The South Africans have now carried their winning mentality beyond the ordinary. The loss by Super Falcons is the sixth in encounters in Africa since losing to Ghana at the African Women Championship in Warri 20 years ago.
In what could be the final before final at the Stade Prince Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat, Morocco Banyana Banyana got off to a dream start as, with a calm air of professionalism.
After a goalless first half in which they were the dominant, side, the South Africans increased their offensive and ensured that the nine-times champions never moved near the third of their area.
In swift operation they swept aside tournament favourites Nigeria when within a space of three minutes they found the Nigerian net twice.
Lightning strikes from Jermaine Seoposenwe in the 61st minute and Hildah Magaia in the 63rd earned South Africa a sweet victory. It is the first time Banyana ever scored two goals against the Falcons.
Rasheedat Ajibade pulled back a consolation for Nigeria in the second minute of added time.
Banyana now just need to keep their heads against the other two teams in Group C, the tournament rookie pair of Burundi on Thursday and Botswana on Sunday, to clinch their quarter-final spot.
Cup holders Nigeria must gain all three points against Botswana in their second match of the competition on Thursday to revive their campaign.
Democratic Republic of Congo side, TP Mazembe are officially the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024.
A highly tactical and hard fought 1-0 victory in the final played in El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi against former champions and hosts, AS FAR saw the DR Congo side crowned the new champions of Africa for the first time – wiping away tears of their 2022 group stage exit.
With the crowd backing the hosts, Mazembe showed great resilience and courage in taking the match to the former champions who remain in search for what has been an elusive second title for them.
The deciding goal of the fourth edition of the tournament came courtesy of a converted spot kick by Marlene Kasaj in the opening 10 minutes, which Mazembe protected throughout the match to seal the historic victory.
Despite the early concession, AS FAR kept believing and surged forward in search of the leveller, but a resolute Mazembe defense kept the clean sheet throughout the opening half.
Coming back from the break, it was surprisingly Mazembe who looked more dangerous as they came out strong in an attempt to kill off the game.
The hosts eventually found their rhythm but again were met by a disciplined Mazembe defense, who kept the former champions at bay to secure Africa’s most sought-after women’s club football crown.
In addition to the coveted CAF Women’s Champions League trophy, TP Mazembe also take home $600 000 in prize money, while runners-up AS FAR take home $400 000.
-CAF
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The National Chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Samuel Ikpea has tipped the Super Falcons of Nigeria to claim their 10th African Women’s Cup of Nations title in Morocco when they begin their campaign next year.
Ikpea’ remarks came after the Friday night draw that put Algeria, Tunisia and Botswana in the same group with the Super Falcons.
“Our girls are going to play in a group with two North African countries (Tunisia and Algeria). “It is going to be interesting, and I am optimistic that our girls will scale from our group”.
Nigeria will tackle two North African teams – Tunisia and Algeria – as well as Botswana, in Group B of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Morocco next summer.
The Falcons will surely relish another meeting with Algeria’s Green Ladies, whom they defeated 2-0 and 4-1 respectively in two friendly matches in Nigeria last month.
Botswana eliminated Gabon in the qualifying series and Tunisia were the quarter-finalists at the last edition also hosted by Morocco.
At the draw conducted on Friday evening at the Technical Centre of the Mohamed VI Football Complex in Sale, outside Rabat, host nation Morocco, earlier slotted into Group A, learnt they will have to cope with Zambia, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cup holders South Africa are in Group C and will square up to Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in the three-week, 12-nation final tournament taking place 5th – 26th July 2025.
Hosts Morocco finished as runners-up in the last edition in July 2022, with Zambia taking the bronze after a 1-0 defeat of Nigeria in the third-place match.
GROUP A: Morocco, Zambia, Senegal, DR Congo
GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana
GROUP C: South Africa, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania
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