AWCON
Nigeria – South Africa clash is ‘final before the final’
In a repeat of the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final, nine-time record continental champions Nigeria take on South Africa in a much-anticipated Group C encounter that is expected to produce fireworks.
For many, this is the final before the final. It is a pure clash of the titans. The two most in-form teams played in the Aisha Buhari Invitational final in September last year in Lagos, with Banyana Banyana stunning the Super Falcons 4-2 to lift the inaugural trophy.
The result left a bitter taste in the mouths of the continental giants and now they are seeking revenge. They want to correct their mistakes and remind everyone why they are the number one team on the continent in the FIFA rankings.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Super Falcons captain Onome Ebi said, “When we saw the draw, we told ourselves that this is exactly like 2018. No team is a pushover. We have a competition to play and no team can be taken for granted.”
“We are here in the first game. It is not going to be easy. It is just like playing a final in the beginning. I like the fact that we are playing them in the first game. I think playing against them will motivate us.”
The Super Falcons, coached by the experienced Randy Waldrum, are a well-oiled team with experience and youthful exuberance and most importantly a never-give-up attitude that has for decades proved why they are the best.
However, South Africa stands in their way as they look to finally break that jinx of choking when it matters on the big stage – and that effort starts in their opening game against the reigning champions.
At the heart of that challenge is goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who admitted that “Your first game of the tournament is always the biggest game and what makes it even bigger is that it is Nigeria, who are the defending champions. So because it is Nigeria, the game is bigger than what it is supposed to be.”
“It’s also the first game of the tournament and you want to start well. And you know, it’s going to be a tough encounter,because they are a top side. They’re not the champions of Africa for nothing. They’ve been consistent over the last couple of years and that is where we have to improve – to be consistent in our performances, to be able to be close enough to this, but I think it’s all about the three points. I think the three points are the most important at the moment to get the tournament off to a good start,” says Dlamini.
Matchups
Onome Ebi vs Thembi Kgatlana
With four WAFCON titles and a record five World Cup appearances to her name, Ebi knows a thing or two about playing on the big stage. Her experience will come in handy when she comes up against the youthful reigning African Player of the Year Kgatlana.
Janine van Wyk vs Asisat Oshoala
If the 2018 final is anything to go by then we have a real battle on our hands come Monday. The fast-paced Oshoala, who is fresh from winning the Primera Division Feminina – the topflight women’s league in Spain with Barcelona, will be bringing that form to Morocco to try and help her side win yet another continental title, but first – Banyana Banyana.
The latter’s veteran and former captain Van Wyk will have her hands full on the day if selected to play and her experience is expected to be crucial. Her good eye for the ball and reading of the game will be timely, as South Africa look for a perfect start.
The other matchups worth mentioning include former England youth international Plumptre Ashleigh Megan, who has played for the U17, U19 and U23s before joining Leicester City, and who will be partnering Ebi in central defence as they look to thwart Banyana Banyana’s attack.
However, in returnee Jermaine Seoposenwe, Desiree Ellis’ side have a proven international player who comes with exposure from plying her trade in SC Braga in the Portuguese league.
Linda Motlhalo of Banyana Banyana has shown in the past that her tactful finishing has the potential to ask the right questions of Nigeria and on the other end Rita Chikwelu could be the answer.
Holistically though, both sides are ready for the challenge and the stage has been set for fireworks as the world waits for these two giants to face off!
-cafonline
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Dropping a whopping 69.33 points in the current FIFA rankings, Nigeria’s Super Falcons are adjudged as the team with the biggest drop by points.
Though they remain the first in Africa, their global ranking slumped from 39 in on 17 June to 47 on 5 August.
Their slump could be linked to the performances at the last month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations where they played six matches and won just three, a far cry from their previous outings.
They could not also make a podium appearance. Their conquerors in the bronze medal match, Zambia are adjudged to have both the biggest move by points and also by rank when they moved 23 places up the ladder to 80th position.
Winners of WAFCON, South Africa also have impressive move from 58th in the world to 54th.
In Africa, the African queens moved from third position to second.
At global level, US still remain on top in a ranling that took into consideration 221 matches played since 17 June.
CAF has released the Best XI of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations following the completion of the history-making tournament in Morocco.
This compilation of players by members of CAF’s Technical Study Group (TSG) brings together the best performers in each position over the last three weeks.
South Africa’s custodian Andile Dlamini, who was named the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament for her role in guiding Banyana Banyana to victory, starts between the posts. Dlamini kept three clean sheets in the six games her side played and was a leader on and off the pitch.
In a four-woman defensive setup, South Africa’s Bambanani Mbane partners Osinachi Ohale of Nigeria in an enviable pairing that would make many a forward sweat to find the back of the net. Both strong in character provided a protection role for their teams consistently throughout the tournament.
At right back, Zambia’s Margaret Belemu and Zineb Redouani of Morocco who are lethal with and without the ball complete the defense line.
In front of this defensive lineup is the captains’ midfield with Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak partnering Grace Chanda from Zambia and Jane Refiloe from South Africa.
The three captains bring a touch of class, an understanding of the game and passing abilities that have the power to change the course and destiny of a game. All three have been nicknamed “conductors”. They take charge and control the ball and make it do as they please. That mastery stood out all tournament – consistently.
Chebbak who was named as the Player of the Tournament was also joint top scorer with three goals.
To complete the fancy 4-3-3 formation, Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade ‘the Blue Haired Girl” also joint top scorer of the tournament with three goals comes in on the right side while Moroccan Fatima Tagnaout brings quality on the left wing and to spice things up, in comes South Africa’s Jermaine Seoposenwe up front to lead the line.
Pace, quick decision-making and an eye for goal is what makes this trio special. With supply from the midfield maestros, scoring goals is as easy as pie.
This 4-3-3 lineup would destroy any opposition in front of them and produce a memorable display of football.
-Cafonline
The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated Super Falcons’ forward Rasheedat Ajibade for emerging as joint top-scorer of the just-ended 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, where the Super Falcons earned a ticket to the FIFA World Cup finals even as the team failed to realize its ambition of a 10th triumph.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said: “We rejoice with Rahseedat Ajibade for her emergence as joint top-scorer of the tournament and we implore her to continue to show even more prolificity and commitment in the jerseys of club and country. Her three goals surely helped the Super Falcons to win a World Cup ticket. Our team would certainly have been in the Final if not for the incident that led to her expulsion in the semi final match against the host nation.
“She probably would have won the award outright if she finished the game and played one more match.”
Ajibade was ejected after 70 minutes of the semi final against Morocco at the Complexe Prince Moulay Abdellah, with Nigeria already one woman down, and the Falcons played the next 50 minutes (of regulation and extra time) with only nine players, losing in the ensuing penalty shoot-out.
In the third-place match against Zambia on Friday, a fierce shot by Evarine Suzeni Katongo in the 28th minute struck the upright and bounced on the back of hardworking goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie for the only goal of the match, with the Falcons failing to convert any of a slew of chances they created.
Sanusi also congratulated Mimisen Calvin-Onwuka, who played the role of Assistant Referee 1 in the Final match between Morocco and South Africa on Saturday, saying her stellar performance alongside referee Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda did not go unnoticed by the global football community. He urged her to continue to develop herself with available top-level courses and programmes in order to continue her rise to global reckoning.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets have continued their preparations for next month’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals scheduled for Costa Rica. The girls, who have been training in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja will depart for a one-week training tour in Barranquilla, Colombia, from where the delegation will fly into San Jose for the finals slated for 10th – 28th August.
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