By Moses Okorie
The Super Falcons of Nigeria will on Saturday take up their Moroccan counterparts in the final of this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after edging the Banyana Banyana of South Africa 2-1 while Morocco got their qualification having beat the Black Queens of Ghana 4-2 on penalty shootout in the keenly contested semifinals played on Tuesday.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons, on Tuesday played with high intensity and took the lead in the first half through Rasheedat Ajibade, who calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 45th minute to give Nigeria a 1-0 advantage heading into the break.
That would be the 10th time the Super Falcons of Nigeria will be lifting the Women’s African Cup of Nations trophy, if they succeed in beating the host Morocco.
Earlier in the game, South Africa were forced into a substitution in the 26th minute after striker Hildah Magaia was withdrawn due to injury, with Thubelihle Makhubela coming on in her place.
South Africa responded strongly in the second half and levelled the score in the 60th minute when Linda Motlhalo converted a penalty to make it 1-1, and with the game seemingly headed for extra time, Nigeria found the winner deep into stoppage time when Michelle Alozie struck in the 90+4th minute after a setup from Esther Okoronkwo, sealing a dramatic win for the Falcons.
On their part, goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah’s attempt, and the hosts, Morocco, advanced to the championship on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Ghana.
Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a hand on Josephine Bonsu’s header, but it bounced off the post and skittered across the goal for Stella Nyamekye to push it into the net in the 26th minute.
Morocco equalised in the 55th when Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a pass from her chest to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan.
Scoreless for the rest of regulation, the match went to extra time at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium.
Morocco has seen its national team rise in recent years. The team reached the WAFCON final in 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco also went to the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023 and advanced to the round of 16.