AWCON
Ajibade, Osinachi are Falcons’ players in Africa’s best XI
Two Super Falcon players are in the WAFCON best eleven list just released by CAF.
The Best XI of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations comes following the completion of the tournament’s group phase with a good sprinkling of African countries included in the tournament’s top performers.
Players from seven countries have made the list of the of Best XI as selected by members of CAF’s Technical Study Group (TSG) after the first round.
South Africa’s consistent goalkeeper Andile Dlamini has been selected as the tournament’s leading goalkeeper so far with a defence anchored by Nigeria’s Osinachi Ohale and Zambia’s Lushomo Mweemba with wingbacks in Tunisia’s Samia Aouni and Morocco’s Zineb Redouan completing the defence.
Morocco’s inspirational captain Ghizlane Chebbak is the leading goal scorer at the tournament with three goals to date and she and the classy South African captain from AC Milan Jane Refiloe make up a formidable midfield combination in the heart of the pitch.
Nigeria’s fantastic Rasheedat Ajibade marauds down the wing with Cameroon’s Ajara Nchout on the other flank providing plenty of firepower down the other flank.
Botswana’s Refilwe Tholakele gets the nod for the striker’s spot highest up on the pitch in tandem with the impressive attacking qualities of Zambia’s Grace Chanda just behind her in what is a formidable tournament Best XI to date.
As the tournament reaches its business end, these players will be crucial in needing to step up as their countries look to secure a coveted FIFA Women’s World Cup in their quarterfinal fixtures.
The TSG is comprised of Clementine Toure (Cote d’Ivoire head coach), Radia Fertoul (Algeria head coach), Jacqui Shipanga (Namibia Technical Director), Shilene Booysen (South Sudan head coach), Mercy Tagoe (Ghana head coach) and Amani Boukare (Tunisia U20 head coach and senior team assistant coach).
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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