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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire eliminated from WAFCON 2024 qualifying series

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Cameroon, four-time finalists of the  Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, will not play in next year’s tournament in Morocco after being eliminated by Kenya on Tuesday.

Cote d’Ivorie will also not be among the nations to play the tournament after they were also eliminated in the first round of qualifiers following the second leg matches.

The Indomitable Lionesses lost on penalties to Kenya while Cote d’Ivoire suffered a similar fate in their match against Tanzania.

Kenya 1-0 Cameroon (agg 1-1) Kenya win 4-3 on penalties
Goal: Shilwatso 75th

The WAFCON dream is over for the Indomitable Lionesses. Winner 1-0 in the first leg, Cameroon fell twice against Kenya. First in regulation time with Shilwatso’s goal, aided by an error from the Cameroonian goalkeeper, and then losing 4-3 in the fateful penalty shootout. For the first time since 1991, the Indomitable Lionesses will not participate in the final phase of the WAFCON.

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Ethiopia 1-1 Burundi (agg 2-2) Burundi wins 5-3 on penalties

Goals: R. Asresahegn 19th / S. Niyonkuru 48th

The adventure continues for Burundi. After conceding the opening goal, the Swallows went looking for qualification for the next round with guts. More realistic and experienced, Gustave Niyonkuru’s players were more focused during the penalty shootout to advance.

Tanzania 2-0 Cote d’Ivoire (agg 2-2) Tanzania wins 5-3 on penalties
Goals: D. Minja 50th, O. Clement 52nd

A real bogeyman in women’s football on the continent, Cote d’Ivoire once again missed the chance to qualify for the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. After winning the first leg 2-0, the Elephantes fell to Tanzania.

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Mauritius 0-3 Guinea (agg 11-0) 

Goals: A. Camara 6th, M. Camara 33rd,38th

After thrashing the Mauritians 8-0 in the first leg, the Guineans finished the job with a 3-0 win in Port Louis.

Botswana 6-0 Gabon (agg 10-1)

Goals: L. Radiakanyo 6th, O. Gaonyadiwe 10th 30th, N. Baeletsi 40th, K. Dithebe 45+4, L. Gaofetoge 50th

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After a 4-1 win in Franceville, Botswana won again against Gabon. A victory that allows the Zebras to face Kenya in the second round of qualifying.

Niger 1-5 Tunisia (agg 12-1) 

Goals: A. Hamed 90th / S. Ellouzi 9th 49th, S. Mamay 15th, M. Houij 45+1, S. Zemzem 77th

Quarter-finalists of the last WAFCON, Tunisia continue on the road to Morocco 2024. The Carthage Eagles Ladies easily beat Niger.

Ghana 5-0 Rwanda (agg 12-0)

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Goals: A. Kusi 22nd 26th 37th, E. Badu 42nd, S. Nyamekye 90+3

Another thrashing by the Black Queens. The Ghanaians left no chance for the Rwandans, after beating them 7-0 at home in the first leg.

Liberia 2-3 Cape Verde (agg 6-2) 

Goals: P. Agbotsu 12th, H. Kpan 69th / E. Pereira 10th, A. Gomes 23rd, Kleydiana Borges 39th

The islanders narrowly avoided elimination but will be in the draw. In a fierce and intense match, Cape Verde beat Liberia 2-3. Trailing by 3 goals, the Liberians looked for an early breakthrough but left gaps for their opponents. Facing a faulty defence, Evy Pereira found the net. Agbotsu made up for this setback and leveled the match.Cape Verde improved their attacking moves with Gomes and Borges sending the West Africans into orbit. Kpan’s late goal did not change the fate of this game.

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Benin 1-2 DR Congo (agg 4-2)
Goals: Y. Gnanmi 5th / M. Kanjinga 32nd 34th

The Democratic Republic of Congo advanced thanks to Merveille Kanjinga. With a saving brace, the Congolese player booked her team’s ticket to the second round.

Togo 6-0 Djibouti (agg 12-0)

Goals: S. Woedikou 4th 15th 40th, S. Koudjoukalo 31st 89th, Lucie Gantim 66th

In two games, Togo scored 13 goals against Djibouti without conceding. A well-deserved qualification for the Hawks ladies.

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In other matches, Congo beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 at the same time, Namibia defeated Gambia by the same score. These two winning teams will progress to the second round.

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso also qualified for the next stage of the competition by beating Eswatini 3-0, as did Egypt who beat South Sudan 4-0. Draw between Algeria and Uganda 1-1.

The second round matches

  • Mali-Guinea
  • Senegal-Egypt
  • Kenya-Botswana
  • Nigeria-Cape Verde
  • Angola-Zambia
  • Ghana-Namibia
  • Burkina Faso-South Africa
  • Congo-Tunisia
  • Tanzania-Togo
  • Equatorial Guinea-DR Congo
  • Algeria-Burundi

-cafonline

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Nigeria rolls out its army for U17 -Women’s World Cup

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Head Coach Bankole Olowookere has listed Captain Taiwo Afolabi and forwards Harmony Chidi and Peace Effiong in his 21-woman Flamingos’ roster for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals in the Dominican Republic.

The clinical Chidi scored 13 of the team’s record-setting 25 goals in the qualifying series, as the bronze medallists from the last edition of the championship in India barnstormed their way past Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Liberia in the continental campaign.

Petite midfielder Afolabi will lead the midfield, alongside Faridat Abdulwahab, Shakirat Moshood and Ayomide Rotimi, while first-choice goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma will have Sylvia Echefu and Elizabeth Boniface pushing her to her best all the time.

Taiwo Adegoke leads six other defenders, with Harmony Chidi leading six other forwards including Peace Effiong.

Nigeria will compete in Group A of the 16-nation finals alongside host nation Dominican Republic, Ecuador and New Zealand.

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The delegation of Flamingos will depart the shores of Nigeria aboard a Turkish Airlines flight on Tuesday, 1st October for a two-week training tour in Santo Domingo, capital city of the Dominican Republic, ahead of the commencement of the tournament.

FLAMINGOS FOR FIFA U17 WORLD CUP DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 2024

Goalkeepers: Christiana Uzoma (Edo Queens); Elizabeth Boniface (Sunshine Queens); Sylvia Echefu (Confluence Queens)

Defenders: Prisca Nwachukwu (Imo Strikers); Jumai Adebayo (Naija Ratels); Taiwo Adegoke (Remo Stars Ladies); Rokibat Azeez (New Generation Academy); Hannah Ibrahim (Remo Stars Ladies); Vivian Ekezie (Heartland Queens); Ololade Isiaka (Abia Angels)

Midfielders: Taiwo Afolabi (Delta Queens); Faridat Abdulwahab (Nasarawa Amazons); Shakirat Moshood (Bayelsa Queens); Muinat Rotimi (Nakamura Football Academy)

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Forwards: Oghenemairo Obruthe (City Sports); Harmony Chidi (Imo Strikers); Kudirat Arogundade (Green Foot); Ramotalahi Kareem (Honey Badgers); Aishat Animashaun (Naija Ratels); Peace Effiong (Rivers Angels); Blessing Ifitezue (Delta Queens)

FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Dominican Republic 2024   

Group A: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, New Zealand, Nigeria

Group B: Spain, USA, Korea Republic, Colombia

Group C: Korea DPR, Mexico, Kenya, England

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Group D: Japan, Poland, Brazil, Zambia

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Justin Madugu takes over from Waldrum as Super Falcons coach

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Justin Madugu as a temporary successor to America’s Randy Waldrum, who has stepped down. 

The NFF announced that its decision was based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee.  Coach Justin Madugu will lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.

The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.

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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

Falconets crash out from U-20 Women’s World Cup

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Japan survived a late scare against Nigeria to set up a re-match of the 2022 final with Spain in Sunday’s quarter-finals.

In rainy Bogota, Miyu Matsunaga’s free header just after the half hour was enough to send Japan to the break with a lead, as they have done at every match at Colombia 2024.

Maya Hijikata then doubled the advantage midway through the second term, tucking home a cross from substitute Chinari Sasai at the back post; that goal taking her joint-top of the adidas Golden Boot race with Brazil’s Vendito.

Olushola Shobowale did manage to pull one back for Nigeria in stoppage time but they couldn’t find a second as Japan hung on to close out the 2-1 win and set up that epic quarter-final clash with Spain. It is a re-match of the final match of the last edition in Costa Rica two years ago.  

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