Defending champions Super Falcons will be gunning for a ninth Africa Women's Cup of Nations today against the team who stunned them in the group stage Banyana Banyana of South Africa.
This will be a repeat of the 2000 final, which Nigeria won 2-0 in Johannesburg.
Coach Thomas Dennerby and captain Onome Ebi have spoken of high level of motivation and determination in the team to extend their domination of the continental championship.
In 20 years of its existence, champions Nigeria have dominated the AWCON with only Equatorial Guinea breaking their clean sweep on only two occasions, while Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha (on four occasions), Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala emerging top scorers at different championships.
Oparanozie and Oshoala will be in action tomorrow, while the Falcons new heroine and goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, who stopped the penalty kick of Cameroon star Gaelle Enganamouit in the semifinal shoot–out, will add to the team’s confidence that has been boosted with a promise of $10,000-a-player to win this clash.
Experience is an advantage standing ramrod on the Nigerian side, but it would not be an easy afternoon against a skilful, creative, energetic and technically –savvy Banyana Banyana side boosted by their 1-0 defeat of the champions in the opening match of Group B in Cape Coast.
Some other positives have put the South African camp in buoyant mood. Victory over Mali in Cape Coast on Tuesday meant the Banyana will make a first–ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup come summer of 2019, and players like Thembi Kgatlana (whose goal put Nigeria to the sword) and Lebohang Ramalepe (sumptuous effort against Mali) are fired up for this final.
Kgatlana has already been installed as the revelation of the tournament as she leads the goals’ chart with five, and in captain Janine Van Wyk, who will be making her 159th international appearance, the Banyana have a leader.
AWCON FINALS IN HISTORY
1998: Nigeria 2 Ghana 0 (Abeokuta)
2000: South Africa 0 Nigeria 2 (Johannesburg)
2002: Nigeria 2 Ghana 0 (Warri)
2004: Nigeria 5 Cameroon 0 (Johannesburg)
2006: Nigeria 1 Ghana 0 (Warri)
2008: Equatorial Guinea 2 South Africa 1 (Malabo)
2010: Nigeria 4 Equatorial Guinea 2 (Johannesburg)
2012: Equatorial Guinea 4 South Africa 0 (Malabo)
2014: Nigeria 2 Cameroon 0 (Windhoek)
2016: Cameroon 0 Nigeria 1 (Yaounde)
2018: Nigeria Vs South Africa (Accra)
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS