Nigeria made an amazing second-half resurgence to beat Morocco, the host nation, 3-2 and claim their 10th TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title at the Stade Olympique in Rabat on Saturday evening.
Down 2-0 at halftime in front of a passionate Moroccan audience, the Super Falcons demonstrated their class and strength, fighting back with precise striking and unwavering perseverance to solidify their reputation as the top team in African football.
Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and a last-minute goal from Joe Echegini helped overturn Morocco’s significant advantage from the first half, surprising the Atlas Lionesses who had aimed to secure their first-ever continental title on home ground.
The championship featured all the elements of a legendary match: a home country aiming to celebrate a generation of champions with a historic victory, and Africa’s most accomplished women’s team determined to reestablish their supremacy.
Morocco began brilliantly. After 12 minutes, captain Ghizlane Chebbak scored with an outstanding shot from outside the penalty area, sending the ball low past Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The local audience roared, feeling the weight of history being created.
The Atlas Lionesses saw things improve further in the 24th minute as Sanaâ Mssoudy extended Morocco’s advantage.
A smooth pass by Ibtissam Jraidi created space for Mssoudy, who calmly scored into the bottom right corner.
Nigeria was taken aback and entered the break behind by two goals, confronting a challenging situation. However, coach Justin Madugu’s halftime speech inspired a strong reaction from the Super Falcons.
The resurgence started just after the hour mark when a VAR review provided Nigeria with a chance to recover.
Nouhaila Benzina’s handball led to a penalty, which Okoronkwo calmly converted to bring the score to 2-1.
From that point onward, the momentum favored Nigeria. In the 71st minute, Okoronkwo became the provider, delivering a precise pass to Ijamilusi, who struck a left-footed shot into the far corner, equalizing the score for Nigeria.
As the game approached extra time, Nigeria scored the winning goal.
A meticulously executed set-piece scenario saw Esther Okoronkwo once again playing a key role, providing a smart pass to Joe Echegini, who calmly converted in the 88th minute to secure a thrilling comeback.
Although facing late pressure and a surge of Moroccan attacks, the Super Falcons remained strong during the tense last few minutes of added time.
The conclusion was devastating for Jorge Vilda’s Moroccan team, who had made a strong impression during the competition and aimed to be only the second country in history to win the WAFCON title following Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
However, the night was dominated by the Super Falcons, whose expertise, strength, and unwavering determination led them to another African championship — their 10th in 13 tournaments.
Nigeria’s victory not only continued their unchallenged history on the continent but also made a strong declaration that, despite increasing competition, they are still the team to beat in African women’s football.
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Tagged: Soccer, Morocco, Nigeria, Sport, North Africa, West Africa
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