AWCON
Super Falcons to face Cameroon for Women’s World Cup ticket
The original 12-team field has narrowed to eight as the Women Africa Cup of Nations gets to the quarter final stage.
Nigeria will face old foes, Cameroon with the ticket for the World Cup also at stake as all four semi finalists will go the Women’s World Cup.
The match comes up on Thursday. Interestingly, the fixture has recorded the highest head-to head encounter more than matches in the history of Nigeria’s ninth title win in eleventh participation of the now biennial women football on the continent.
On record, the neighbouring countries have met 12 times with Nigeria won 10 times drew one and lost one time to the emerging power house in African football.
Nigeria got the better on the Cameroonian in the maiden edition of the tournament in 1991 when Super Falcons won 2-0 and 4-0 over two legs to book a slot in the FIFA Women Football tournament in China.
Both sides the not meet again until 1998 when Nigeria hosted the tournament in Ijebu-Ode and Kaduna and Falcons recorded 6-0 win against Cameroon at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium where the two semi-final matches were played.
Nigeria won 3-0 again in the group phase in South Africa in 2000 and four years later in the Rainbow nation both side played out 2-2 draw in the group phase and qualify into the knockout stage.
But the Central African nation were not lucky in 2006 as Nigeria secured 5-0 win in the semi-final clash with Perpetual Nkwocha scored a hat-trick and two years later, both teams played 1-1 score-line in third placed match but Nigeria won 4-3 on penalties.
Nigeria secured 5-1 win against Cameroon in 2010 in semi-final clash and Nkwocha recorded another hat-trick in South Africa and two years later in Equatorial Guinea, both teams met twice with Nigeria won the group phase match 2-1 but lost the third placed match to Cameroon by a lone goal scored by Gaelle Enganamoiut.
But 2014 in Namibia, Nigeria bounced back to winning way with a 2-0 victory Just Falcons won by a lone goal in 2016 edition hosted by Cameroon with only goal scored by Desire Oparanozie.
At the last edition in Ghana, both teams played out a goalless semi final clash but Nigeria won 4-2 on penalties and went ahead to win the cup against South Africa in the final match.
The quarter final fixtures
Wednesday 13th
Zambia Vs Senegal 6 PM
Morocco Vs Botswana- 9PM
Thursday 14th
Cameroon Vs Nigeria -6 PM
South Africa Vs Tunisia -9PM
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
Morocco 2025: Nigeria qualify for FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup
NFF ‘shocked and saddened’ by the demise of former NRA President, Otunba Tade Azeez
Heartbreak for Al Ahly as Sundowns edge to CAF Champions League final on away goals rule
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL7 days ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY4 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON7 days ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- feature4 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu