WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Morocco 2024 WAFCON field now complete
Most of the heavyweights make the final cut as all the 12 teams for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations have now emerged.
The biggest absentees are Equatorial Guinea sides who ranked next in terms of titles. They were winners in 2008 and 2012.
Multiple champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria lead a loaded field comprising of reigning champions, South Africa, Morocco (Hosts) Algeria, Botswana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia. The others are three-time finalists, Ghana and one-time bronze medallists DR Congo
Nine-time champions Nigeria and hosts Morocco lead an exciting field packed with leading continental heavyweights.
Joining them are reigning title holders South Africa, three-time finalists Ghana who return after a six-year absence, North African powers Algeria and Tunisia alongside Mali.
DR Congo whose last participation dates back to 2012 joins the party while Senegal, giant-killers Zambia, Tanzania and Botswana complete the list of confirmed qualifiers at the Morocco 2024 finals.
Two-time winners Equatorial Guinea were the major casualties alongside four-time finalists Cameroon in the qualifying stages concluded ended on Tuesday.
With all 12 berths now sealed, anticipation turns towards the draw at a date and venue to be announced later.
The final match of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) between Morocco and South Africa set a new record for attendance, with 50,000 fans in attendance. The match was broadcast live in over 45 territories, with coverage available on CAFTV and CAFOnline.com. The upcoming edition of the tournament, which will be hosted by the previous host nation, promises to be an exciting event, with ambitious teams and renowned players set to compete.
Road to the qualifiers
South Africa return seeking to emulate their successful title defence in 2022 which showcased improving pan-African depth.
Banyana Banyana displayed resilience as Linda Mothlalo and Nicole Michael secured a 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso in a gripping return leg at Pretoria’s Lucas Moripe Stadium on Monday.
Algeria secured a 1-0 win over Burundi, sealing their return to the competition after missing out in 2022. Ines Boutaleb’s 17th-minute goal secured their two-legged victory.
The 1998 Bronze medallists DR Congo secured their place with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
Botswana earned qualification by defeating Kenya 1-0 at the Botswana National Stadium, advancing 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
Nigeria and Zambia qualified with big aggregate score lines to complete the line-up of 12 teams to play at the competition to be held next year.
After landing the hosting rights, Morocco now hope to seize their maiden WAFCON title at the fifth attempt next July and boost women’s football.
Despite wintry conditions in Blida, on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers, Nigeria’s U17 girls dug their feet into the ground on Friday night.
They achieved a scoreless draw that qualified them for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
Holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage, the 2002 bronze medallists adopted a calm and collected pattern that easily soaked up the expected pressure from the hosts and then relied on fast breaks to try and pull the trigger on their opponents.
Although they created better chances on the night, the Flamingos failed to make dominance in possession pay, but swiftly collected the ticket to Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate win.
The difference over two legs of the final round was a remarkable display in the opening leg by the Flamingos, during which a brace by Queen Joseph and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aisha Animashaun ensured a 4-0 win.
The Flamingos will now be one of Africa’s five representatives (including hosts Morocco) at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place from 17th October – 5th November. The final competition will entertain 24 teams for the very first time.
Since the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, Nigeria have failed to make the finals only once – the 2018 tournament hosted by Uruguay.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Despite heavy first leg loss, Algeria hopeful of a turnaround in Nigeria’s Flamingos clash
The Algeria U17 women’s national team still hope for a possible turnaround in this Friday night clash with Nigeria’s Flamingos.
Algeria lost 4-0 in the first leg match in Ikenne last Saturday.
The Algerians completed their preparations on Thursday at the Sidi Moussa National Technical Centre, the eve of the return match against Nigeria.
The return match is scheduled for this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida. Aggregate winners will pick a ticket to the FIFA U-17 Women’s 2025 World Cup.
According to sources in Algeria, all the players took part in the final session, during which coach Abdenour Mira finalised the tactical details for the make or mar encounter.
Despite the heavy defeat conceded in the first leg (4-0), the young Algerians approach this match with the desire to finish well and deliver an honourable performance against a formidable Nigerian team.
During the technical meeting held early in the afternoon at the FAF headquarters, in the presence of representatives of the two teams and the organisers, it was decided that Algeria will play in green, while Nigeria will wear white.
The match will be officiated by Cameroonian Aline Marie Noelle Guimbang, assisted by her compatriot Laurie Marcelle Tsafack Teikeu and Chadian Victorine Ngarassoum.
The fourth official will also be Cameroonian, Innoncentia Njang Ntangti.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Under possible cold weather in Blida, Nigeria’s Flamingos set to grab World Cup ticket
The weather is most likely to be cold, but Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, are set to continue a tradition of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which has had eight editions, out of which the Flamingos featured in seven.
Only Japan, with 100 per cent attendance, has featured in more competitions than Nigeria’s Flamingos.
They look poised to feature again after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria in the first leg of the final qualifying series.
Apart from their opponents, Algeria, they have the expected cold weather to battle with at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers), on Friday night.
Friday’s encounter against their Algerian counterparts is the final leg of a final qualifying round fixture, with the Flamingos, bronze-medallists from the 2022 finals in India and quarterfinalists from the last edition in the Dominican Republic, holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage.
The Federation Algerienne de Football (FAF) has scheduled the match to kick off at 8 pm, at a time when the winds will begin to blow in stronger from the Mediterranean Sea.
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