- As Atlas Lionesses lose 2-3 in final match
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – ‘Mission X’ as it was dubbed by pundits has finally been accomplished by Super Falcons of Nigeria with the tenth WAFCON title safely in their custody.
On Saturday night, the Super Falcons staged an extraordinary second-half comeback to beat hosts, Atlas Lionesses of Morocco 3-2 and lift their 10th TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) crown at the Stade Olympique in Rabat.
Super Falcons had found themselves trailing 2-0 at half-time in front of a partisan Moroccan crowd, but showed their pedigree and resilience on resumption of play in the second half.
Defying all odds, the Nigerian Ladies clawed their way back into the match with a display of clinical finishing and sheer determination to cement their status as undisputed queens of African football.
Morocco’s unexpected strong first-half lead was cancelled out by goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and a late winner by Joe Echegini.
At the end, it was a stunned Atlas Lionesses who watched in dispair as their dreams of winning the first-ever continental title on home soil got shattered by a focused and determined Nigerian side.
This final had all the trappings of a classic encounter, a host nation looking to crown a golden generation with history, and Africa’s most decorated women’s side eager to reaffirm their dominance.
Giving the vociferous home crowd something to cheer, the Moroccans got off to a dream start with just 12 minutes on the clock as captain Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring with a brilliant strike from outside the box.
She beautifully curled the ball low past Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to sent the home crowd into frenzy, sensing history in the making.
Twelve minutes later, precisely in the 24th minute, things got even better for the Atlas Lionesses when Sanaâ Mssoudy doubled their lead.
A slick pass from Ibtissam Jraidi found Mssoudy in space, and the forward made no mistake with a composed finish into the bottom right corner.
It was a stunned Nigeria side that went into the break facing an uphill task with two goals deficit. However, Coach Justin Madugu’s half-time talk seemed to spark a spirited response from the players on resumption of play.
The comeback began just after the hour mark when a VAR review handed Nigeria a lifeline. A handball by Nouhaila Benzina resulted in a penalty, which was coolly dispatched by Okoronkwo to make it 2-1.
The momentum sharply shifted in Nigeria’s favour from that moment, and in the 71st minute, Okoronkwo turned provider, slipping a neat ball into the path of Ijamilusi, who drilled a left-footed effort into the bottom corner to bring the Super Falcons level.
With the match heading towards extra time, Nigeria found the winner through a well-worked set-piece situation that saw Esther Okoronkwo once again involved, delivering a clever assist to Joe Echegini, who calmly drove the ball home in the 88th minute to seal a dramatic turnaround.
The Moroccans’ late rally and flurry of attacks notwithstanding, the Nigerian Ladies held their nerves through a tense final few minutes of stoppage time.
It was a heartbreaking end for Jorge Vilda’s Morocco side, who had impressed throughout the tournament and were bidding to become only the second nation ever to lift the WAFCON trophy on home soil after Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
Having lost to South Africa in the last final, also on home soil, it is heartbreak for the Moroccans once again and the wait for their first WAFCON title goes on.
Saturday night belonged to the Super Falcons, whose experience, depth and never-say-die spirit propelled them to yet another African title — their 10th in 13 editions.
Nigeria’s triumph not only extended their unmatched legacy on the continent but also served as a resounding statement that, even in the face of rising challengers, they remain the team to beat in African women’s football.
Player of the Match went to Nigeria’s Esther Okoronkwo and it was no real surprise that the play maker got the award given her impressive showing on the night.
