BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons are already assured of USD 200,000 in prize money following their hard-fought 1-0 victory over Botswana on Thursday night in Casablanca, Morocco, in the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024.

By the prevailing exchange rate, Super Falcons’ current earning is N305,428,000.

The slim win, powered by a late strike, ensured that the Falcons became the first team to book a place in the quarterfinals, with one group match still to play. The result also makes Nigeria the only team so far with back-to-back wins in the group stage.

Under the newly enhanced prize structure announced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), each of the four quarterfinalists is guaranteed at least $200,000. This financial boost underscores CAF’s commitment to raising the stakes and rewarding performance in women’s football across Africa.

Should the Super Falcons progress beyond the quarter-finals but fall short of the final, they stand to earn an additional $150,000 as semi-finalists who finish third. However, if they reach the final and end as runners-up, their prize money will increase significantly to $500,000.

Nigeria, however, has its sights firmly set on the ultimate prize. Victory in the final would see the nine-time champions take home a record-breaking $1 million—a testament to their ambition and status as Africa’s most successful women’s national team.

CAF’s new reward structure also ensures that other teams are not left empty-handed. Third-placed teams in each of the three groups will receive $150,000 each, while bottom-placed teams will be awarded $125,000 apiece.

As the tournament progresses, the financial incentives are adding another layer of competition, ensuring that every match counts—on the pitch and the balance sheet.

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As the group stage of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) progresses, the battle for the coveted Golden Boot is heating up with familiar names and emerging talents lighting up the scoring charts.

Nigeria’s Chinwendu Ihezuo added to her tally with a second goal in the tournament, firmly placing herself among the early contenders for the Top Scorer award. With the Super Falcons eyeing another deep run, Ihezuo’s consistent form could prove decisive.

However, the spotlight currently shines brightest on Morocco’s captain and talisman, Ghizlane Chebbak, who has picked up where she left off in the previous edition. The 34-year-old, who was both the Best Player and Top Scorer in 2022, has already netted four goals in two games, accounting for the majority of the Atlas Lionesses’ six goals so far. Her sharp instincts and composed finishing make her the frontrunner in the Golden Boot race.

Chebbak shares the top spot with Nguenar Ndiaye of Senegal, who has also scored four times, courtesy of two braces—against DR Congo and Zambia. The 30-year-old forward has showcased her knack for rising to big occasions, reinforcing her reputation as one of Senegal’s most dependable attacking weapons.

Zambia’s star striker Barbra Banda has made her usual explosive entrance, opening the tournament with a goal and following it up with a brace against Senegal. Her three goals put her in close pursuit of the leaders, as she aims to replicate her goal-scoring heroics from previous continental and global outings.

Not far behind are Racheal Kundananji of Zambia and Mama Diop of Senegal, both with two goals apiece. Kundananji’s blistering pace and powerful strikes have been crucial for Zambia, while Diop’s aerial prowess and intelligent positioning have helped maintain Senegal’s attacking edge.

Veteran names continue to make an impact, underlining the value of experience at the tournament. Alongside Chebbak and Ndiaye, Diop (30), Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala (30), and Algeria’s Ghoutia Karchouni (30) have all registered goals, proving that age is not a barrier to excellence. These seasoned campaigners bring leadership and composure, attributes that often prove decisive in tightly contested matches.

The resurgence of players like Jermaine Seoposenwe of South Africa, who scored a memorable opening goal in the 2022 edition against Nigeria, further reflects the enduring influence of experienced stars at WAFCON.

With the final round of group matches set to unfold, the race for the Golden Boot is far from settled. As the knockout stages loom, the battle among Chebbak, Ndiaye, Banda, Ihezuo, and others promises to intensify, setting the stage for a thrilling climax to the tournament’s honours.

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West African rivals Ghana and Mali are set for a crucial showdown in Group C of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 on Friday at the Berkane Stadium, with both sides carrying contrasting form and fortunes into their fifth tournament encounter.

This fixture has never failed to produce a winner, and Friday’s clash promises to be no different. In their previous four WAFCON meetings—all at the group stage—Ghana have won three times, while Mali claimed victory once, notably knocking out host nation Ghana in 2018 to reach the semi-finals for the first time in their history.

But this time, the stakes are particularly high for the Black Queens, who suffered a 2-0 defeat to South Africa in their opening match. Another loss would mark Ghana’s first-ever WAFCON campaign to begin with back-to-back defeats, and would all but extinguish their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.

Historically, Ghana have never progressed beyond the group stage after failing to win either of their first two matches (as in 2008 and 2014). Their recent form in WAFCON has been worrisome—winless in their last three matches (D1 L2)—and they have failed to win their second group match in each of the last three editions (D2 L1). The Black Queens could also suffer consecutive group-stage defeats in a single tournament for only the second time, the last being in 2010.

In contrast, Mali arrive with momentum. The 1-0 win over Tanzania in their opening match marked their first-ever opening-day victory in eight WAFCON appearances, and also their first-ever clean sheet in the tournament, thanks to goalkeeper Fatoumata Karentao’s five saves.

Saratou Traoré opened her WAFCON scoring account with a clinical finish—her only shot on target—while Aïcha Samaké impressed in midfield with a team-high 74 touches.

Mali are now on a three-game group-stage winning streak and have scored in their last six group matches. Historically, matchday two has been their strongest: four of their six all-time WAFCON victories have come in second group games, with a solid record of W4 D1 L2 in those fixtures.

A win for Mali would almost certainly guarantee qualification for the quarter-finals, underlining their growing reputation as genuine WAFCON contenders, while a defeat for Ghana would signal a potential early exit and prompt major questions about the future of the once-dominant West African powerhouse.

With pride, history, and progression on the line, Friday’s clash is set to be one of the most pivotal matches of the group stage.

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