Ihezuo and substitute Abiodun, who wrong-footed Dlamini for Nigeria’s winning goal
By Dianabasi Effiong
Nigeria on Tuesday reached the Final of the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a dramatic semi-final in Casablanca that saw Cup-holders South Africa sent packing through 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 game plan.
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.
Captain Ajibade, Ihezuo, and Ijamilusi celebrate.
A minute into the second half, Dlamini dropped the ball from Ajibade’s cross, however, Ihezuo was not in a position to take advantage of the opportunity.
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 later, 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 stage matches in 2018 and 2022 with 1-0 and 2-1 scorelines respectively.
