Connect with us

International Football

Senegal, Morocco who won their first ever WAFCON matches are the first second round qualifiers

Published

on

Both Senegal and hosts, Morocco have made yet another history at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations by qualifying for the second round. In their first matches, they both recorded victories which were their first ever since WAFCON began in Nigeria 24 years ago.

They have stretched their historic feat by being the first teams to sail into the next round. Senegal beat Burkina Faso to sail into the next round.

Morocco on their part, beat Uganda 3-1 in front of cheering home crowd. As for Senegal, Mame Moussa Cisse’s team scored the only goal of the match, converting a penalty kick in the 84th minute by Korka Fall, who had come on only seven minutes earlier to make her tournament debut.

Following this success, Senegal sit comfortably on six points with hosts Morocco, while Burkina Faso with two defeats in as many meetings, will have to win against Uganda on the third match day to try to secure a best third place finish to qualify for the next round of the competition.

As for Morocco, an emerging power house in African women’s football, the home fans were in full voice as their local heroes were ultimately too strong for a gallant Uganda.

The first half was very balanced between the two teams. Morocco opened the scoring in the 15th minute through a penalty converted by striker Rosella Ayyane, who had won and then converted the penalty which was awarded after the intervention of VAR.

Advertisement

Despite opening the scoring early in the game, Reynald Pedros’ players struggled to impose themselves on the game as the Crested Cranes grew in strength. It did not come as a surprise when in the 32nd minute the Ugandans managed to equalize through a Somaya Komuntale drive.

In the second half as soon as the players entered the pitch, the Atlas Lionesses tried to impose their game and became more decisive. Their efforts were rewarded, when they scored a second goal through Nesryne Elchad in the 68th minute.

Captain Ghizlane Chebbak was given the responsibility of converting a second penalty awarded to the Atlas Lionesses in the 84th minute, making no mistake to put the game beyond the reach of the Ugandans.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement