Nigeria reached the Final of the 13th Women
Africa Cup of Nations after a turgid and dramatic semi final in Casablanca that
saw Cup-holders South Africa sent packing, thanks to a late-in-the-day
spectacular goal by defender Michelle Alozie.
Both teams fought tactically in the middle and other
stretches of the park, with sets of players stifling one another at crucial
moments. Nigeria came close after only eight minutes but forward Chinwendu
Ihezuo, in the top scorer’s race with three goals, saw her effort tipped over
the sticks by the veteran goalkeeper Andile Dlamini.
Esther Okoronkwo and Ihezuo were denied in the 11th minute
as the Super Falcons kept pushing forward. From this point, the game settled
into a ding-dong affair, with both teams refusing to allow the other to keep to
its gameplan.
In the 44th minute, the title-holders
broke through the Falcons’ defence but the Banyana forward dragged her shot too
wide.
A minute later, Nigeria was ahead. Receiving a pass
from the right, Folasade Ijamilusi struck the ball, but it was hampered by the
right hand of defender Mbane. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who had scored the
penalty goal that separated both teams in their final Paris 2024 Olympics
qualifying fixture last year, stepped forward and slotted past Dlamini.
A minute into the second half, Dlamini dropped the
ball from Ajibade’s cross, but Ihezuo was not in the position to take
advantage.
In the 56th minute, defender Osinachi
Ohale pulled back forward Dhlamini in the box, gifting the Banyana Banyana a
penalty. Midfielder Linda Motlhalo stepped forward and struck the ball past
Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The title-holders stepped on the throttle and nearly
got another goal as substitute Cesane connected a brilliant pull-out past
Nnadozie, but Ohale was in the right place to save the day for the nine-time
champions.
Five minutes after, Banyana found their way to the
front again, and Jermaine Seoposenwe’s floated ball rose narrowly over the
sticks on the Nigerian side.
Towards the end, a tense moment saw both sets of
players deeply concerned for the injured South African defender Gabriela
Salgado, who was taken off the pitch holding her face.
Just as both teams were settling for extra time, in
added time of the second period, Alozie’s lofted ball from the Nigerian defence
missed everyone, and Ihezuo and midfielder Deborah Abiodun wrong-footed Dlamini
as the ball went untouched into the Banyana net.
Victory meant the Super Falcons’ first win over the
Banyana in the Africa Cup of Nations in the three tournaments, with the South
Africans having won group stages matches in 2018 and 2022 with 1-0 and 2-1
score-lines respectively.
PHOTO 1: Ihezuo and substitute Abiodun,
who wrongfooted Dlamini for Nigeria’s goal.
PHOTO 2: Captain Ajibade, Ihezuo and
Ijamilusi celebrate.
