Nigeria’s Mission X juggernaut
rumbles inexorably to the finish line, as the Super Falcons say they are
determined to abort the title-retaining dreams of Cup holders South Africa when
both sides clash in the second semi final of the 13th Women
AFCON finals in Casablanca on Tuesday.
In the competition’s 27-year history, the Super
Falcons have never failed to make the semi finals, and boastful Zambia turned
out to be too weak to shred that record when both teams met in the quarter
finals on Friday, an encounter from which the Super Falcons ran out 5-0
winners.
South Africa’s Banyana Banyana have been traditionally
a miserable opposition to the Nigerian girls for decades. It took the girls
from the Rainbow Nation 17 years, after a first meeting in
March 1995, to secure a win over the Falcons – a 1-0 win in a Women AFCON match
in Equatorial Guinea 13 years ago. Before then, they serially suffered, their
take-homes including 7-1 and 5-0 drubbings.
The Banyana netted another Women AFCON win in Ghana in
2018 (group stage), but suffered heartbreak in a penalty shootout in the final
that earned Nigeria a 9th continental title. Three years ago,
the Banyana again had the upper hand in a group stage match (2-1) and went on
to win their first African title after beating host nation Morocco (penalty
shootout winners over Nigeria in the semi finals) in the final.
Debate has been fierce over the past few weeks as to
which team is the best in Africa, between the Falcons and the Banyana, and that
question should be properly attended to at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium on Tuesday
evening.
In 10 previous Women AFCON clashes between both
nations, Nigeria have been triumphant six times, with South Africa winning on
three occasions. The only one that ended in a draw (2018 Women AFCON Final) was
eventually won by Nigeria following a penalty shootout.
In total, both teams have clashed 25 times, since the
first meeting on 4th March 1997 – a 1995 FIFA Women’s World
qualifying match that the Falcons won 4-1. In the return leg in South Africa
two weeks later, the Banyana were pumped 7-1. The Super Falcons have won 15
times, with six games ending in draws and the Banyana winning four times.
South Africa’s biggest win over Nigeria remains a 4-2
spanking they handed to an understrength Nigeria in the Aisha Buhari
Invitational Tournament in Lagos in September 2021. Most recently, the Falcons
rode over the Banyana to qualify for their first appearance at the Women
Olympic Football Tournament in 16 years.
Two years ago, both the Falcons and the Banyana
reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Down
Under. However, the Falcons were the ones that wowed the universal audience
with their guts, grit and flair, in defeating co-hosts Australia right at
Brisbane’s Lang Park and leaving the tournament unbeaten in regulation time.
Here in Morocco, Nigeria forward Chinwendu Ihezuo is
firmly in the race for the top scorer’s award, as she is presently on three
goals, one behind Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak and Senegalese forward
Nguenar Ndiaye.
No doubt, the indices and elements are there for an
explosive Women AFCON semi final clash in Casablanca on Tuesday evening.
FALCONS, BANYANA IN HISTORY
4 Mar 1995: Nigeria 4 South Africa 1 (WCq)
19 Mar 1995: South Africa 1 Nigeria 7 (WCq)
25 Nov 2000: South Africa 0 Nigeria 2 (WAfcon)
18 Dec 2002: Nigeria 5 South Africa 0 (WAfcon)
30 Mar 2003: South Africa 0 Nigeria 3 (Friendly)
11 Oct 2003: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (AfGames)
12 Mar 2004: South Africa 2 Nigeria 2 (Oq)
28 Mar 2004: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (Oq)
9 July 2007: South Africa 2 Nigeria 2 (AfGames)
18 July 2007: South Africa 0 Nigeria 4 (AfGames)
28 July 2008: Nigeria 5 South Africa 0 (Oq)
12 Aug 2008: South Africa 0 Nigeria 1 (Oq)
22 Nov 2008: South Africa 0 Nigeria 1 (WAfcon)
4 Nov 2010: South Africa I Nigeria 2 (WAfcon)
3 June 2012: South Africa 1 Nigeria 1 (Friendly)
23 June 2012: Nigeria 0 South Africa 0 (Friendly)
7 Nov 2012: South Africa 1 Nigeria 0 (WAfcon)
22 Oct 2014: South Africa 1 Nigeria 2 (WAfcon)
29 Nov 2016: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (WAfcon)
18 Nov 2018: South Africa 1 Nigeria 0 (WAfcon)
1 Dec 2018: Nigeria 0 South Africa 0 (WAfcon) –
Nigeria triumphed 4-3 penalties
21 Sept 2021: Nigeria 2 South Africa 4 (Aisha Buhari
Cup)
4 July 2022: South Africa 2 Nigeria 1 (WAfcon)
5 April 2024: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (Oq)
9 April 2024: South Africa 0 Nigeria 0 (Oq)
PHOTO 1: GO FOR IT! The Falcons at
training on Saturday
PHOTO 2: Striker Folasade Ijamilusi at
training.