Wafcon

Nigeria had not been shy in expressing their intentions of winning their 10th Wafcon, with players consistently asked about that target in media engagements.

The Super Falcons have certainly backed up their off-field talk in their performances in Morocco this month as coach Justin Madugu found the right blend in the knockout phase.

Yet the top-ranked side in Africa made a poor start and Nigeria were unable to match Morocco’s level in the first half.

The North Africans went ahead in the 13th minute when Halimatu Ayinde gave the ball to Chebbak, who sent a fine shot just inside the left-hand upright, and doubled their lead 11 minutes later when Mssoudy shot across goal.

Okoronkwo was composure personified after the intervention of VAR to make it 2-1 from the spot, and then kept her head when she burst through the Morocco defence to control, pause and put the ball on a plate for Ijamilusi.

Another big moment came when Morocco were awarded a penalty in the 79th minute when Imane Saoud helped a cross onto the hand of Blessing Demehin, who was barely two yards away.

Chebbak had the ball on the spot when Namibian referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa was called to the VAR screen and overturned her decision almost four minutes later.

And the comeback was completed when Okoronkwo provided a pin-point free-kick delivery and Echegini got ahead of centre-back Benzina to sweep home from six yards out.

The West Africans have now beaten a third host nation in a Wafcon final following successes over South Africa and Cameroon in 2000 and 2016 respectively.

Nigeria claim their tenth WAFCON title, ‘Mission X’, as they come from behind to beat Morocco 3-2 in Rabat.

Substitute Jennifer Echegini scored the 88th-minute winner as Nigeria came from two goals behind to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in a dramatic Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.

The triumph in Rabat on Saturday confirmed the West Africans as the queens of women’s football in Africa as they pulled off a record-extending 10th title in 13 editions – “Mission X”, as they dubbed their efforts – to win the 2025 edition.

It was the second successive final loss for Morocco, who led by two goals after 24 minutes, only to concede three in the second half.

Esther Okoronkwo played a key role in the Super Falcons’ victory: scoring the first goal, creating the second and delivering the free-kick that Echegini finished to stun the home crowd.

Morocco, backed by a vibrant capacity crowd at the 21,000-seat Stade Olympique in the capital, took the lead on 12 minutes as Nigeria conceded for the first time in open play at the tournament.

Nigeria fluffed several chances to clear the ball, and it fell just outside the area to Chebbak, whose perfectly placed, rising shot gave goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie no chance.

The lead doubled 12 minutes later as the ball flew across the Nigerian goalmouth to Sanaa Mssoudy, who ended a five-match goal drought by steering a low shot into the far corner of the net.

Nigeria had more possession in the opening half than the host nation, but managed only one shot on target, and it did not trouble goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi.

But the Moroccan lead halved after 64 minutes as Okoronkwo sent Er-Rmichi the wrong way from a penalty after a VAR review showed a Folashade Ijamilusi cross striking Nouhaila Benzina’s hand.

The goal lifted the spirits of increasingly assertive Nigeria, and they equalised seven minutes later, when Okoronkwo turned creator with a pull-back that Ijamilusi pushed into the net from close range.

CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA FOR THE 10TH TIME! 🏆🇳🇬

Tell your neighbors, tell the world — the Super Falcons reign supreme again!#MissionX #SoarSuperFalcons #WAFCON2024 #Champions #MORNGA pic.twitter.com/tiUQZleMEy

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 26, 2025

On Friday, Ghana finished third, winning a penalty shootout 4-3 against outgoing champions South Africa after a 1-1 playoff draw in regular time in Casablanca.

After two weakly struck spot kicks in a row by South Africa were saved to give Ghana the advantage, 19-year-old Nancy Amoh converted the decisive penalty with a low shot into the corner of the net.

A blunder by Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan gifted South Africa the lead on 45 minutes as she lost control of the ball just outside the box, and Nonhlanhla Mthandi struck it into the net.

Persistent Ghanaian pressure finally paid off on 68 minutes when an Alice Kusi header came off the crossbar and long-serving South Africa shot-stopper Andile Dlamini conceded an own goal.

Victory was particularly sweet for the Black Queens as they were outplayed when losing 2-0 to Banyana Banyana (The Girls) in the group stage.

Ghana have won the four third-place playoffs they qualified for, while South Africa have lost four of five bronze medal matches.

The next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for March 2026, also in Morocco, and will double as a qualifying competition for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Host nation Morocco will face Nigeria in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Ghana on penalties.

Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah’s attempt, and the hosts, Morocco, advanced to the championship of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Ghana.

Morocco, which prevailed 4-2 on penalties on Tuesday, will face Nigeria in the final on Saturday. The Super Falcons defeated defending champions South Africa 2-1 in the earlier semifinal on Tuesday in Casablanca.

Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a hand on Josephine Bonsu’s header, but it bounced off the post and skittered across the goal for Stella Nyamekye to push it into the net in the 26th minute.

Morocco equalised in the 55th when Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a pass from her chest to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan.

Scoreless for the rest of regulation, the match went to extra time at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium.

Morocco has seen its national team rise in recent years. The team reached the WAFCON final in 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco also went to the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023 and advanced to the round of 16.

Morocco advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Mali, while Ghana downed Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

Nigeria beat South Africa in first WAFCON semi

Michelle Alozie’s long ball bounced into the goal in stoppage time to give Nigeria a 2-1 victory over South Africa earlier on Tuesday, and send the Super Falcons into the final at the WAFCON.

The Super Falcons have won nine WAFCON titles. Disappointed by their fourth-place finish in the 2022 tournament, the Super Falcons dubbed their goal to win this event as “Mission X”.

Alozie, who plays in the National Women’s Soccer League for the Houston Dash, sent the ball forward from distance four minutes into stoppage time. Although two teammates were in front of South Africa’s net, neither of them touched the ball as it bounced into the goal.

Rasheedat Ajibade, who plays for Atlético Madrid, converted a penalty just before half-time to put Nigeria ahead 1-0. The Super Falcons were awarded the penalty because of a handball in the box.

South Africa, the defending WAFCON champions, pulled even on Linda Motlhalo’s penalty in the 60th minute.

Nigeria, which had not previously conceded a goal in the tournament, routed Zambia 5-0 in the quarterfinals to advance. South Africa, led by coach Desiree Ellis, advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw with Senegal.

There was a scary moment in the 84th minute when South Africa midfielder Gabriela Salgado went down with an injury, and players from both teams frantically gestured for help.

Salgado was stretchered off with her left leg heavily wrapped as her teammates sobbed. The crowd at Stade Larbi Zaouli chanted her name.

Nigeria cruised into the semi-finals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with a statement 5-0 victory over Zambia in Casablanca.

The Copper Queens had been expected to pose a tough challenge for the record nine-time champions, but were blown away by a stunning performance which was underlined by clinical finishing.

The West Africans never looked back after centre-back Osinachi Ohale was left unmarked at a free-kick in the second minute and headed past Petronella Musole.

Grace Chanda missed a glorious chance to equalise on the half hour mark and three minutes later Nigeria doubled their lead through a fine finish from the impressive Esther Okoronkwo.

Chinwendu Ihezuo capitalised on hesitancy in the Zambia defence to make it 3-0 to the Super Falcons on the stroke of half-time with a composed finish.

Oluwatosin Demehin nodded in the fourth from another pinpoint free-kick delivery midway through the second half at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, and Folashade Ijamilusi rounded off the scoring in the first minute of stoppage time.

Zambia had beaten Nigeria to finish third at the 2022 finals, yet their formidable strike partnership of Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji – who had scored three goals apiece in the group stage – failed to register a shot on target between them.

Nigeria, who are still yet to concede a goal at this year’s finals, will face either defending champions South Africa or Senegal in the semi-finals on Tuesday (16:00 GMT).

Those two sides meet in the last eight in Oujda on Saturday at 19:00 GMT.

The atmosphere inside the Olympic Stadium in Rabat was crackling with anticipation ahead of kick-off between Morocco and Senegal and, for the first time this tournament, there was not a spare seat to be seen.

Pounding drums helped lift the volume further, while giant Moroccan flags waved in a stiff breeze that made conditions far cooler once the sun went down.

But fans hoping to be entertained by two teams who had found goalscoring easy in their first two group games were left disappointed by a stop-start affair that often threatened to become ill-tempered.

While the decision for Mrabet’s goal was the most important intervention of the evening, the assistant referees’ flags also played a key role.

Both teams had the ball in the net during the 90 minutes, only to see the goals ruled out by a late flags for offside. Jraidi and Senegal forward Nguenar Ndiaye also saw the flag go up following good chances they failed to finish.

While most of those offside decisions were clear, VAR had to intervene again in added time at the end of the game after Morocco captain Ghizlane Chebbak found the back of the net.

Referee Nabadda was also busy keeping discipline in what developed into a niggly affair, issuing a total of seven yellow cards.

While Senegal huffed and puffed, the West Africans never really looked like creating much in the way of clear chances.

The hosts always looked the superior footballing side and saw Chebbak and Jraidi also spurn excellent opportunities that were onside.

Topping the group means Morocco stay in the capital for their quarter-final on Friday, while Zambia remain in Mohammedia for their clash the same day.

If Senegal do manage to progress, the Lionesses of Teranga will travel to Oujda to take on the winners of Group C next Saturday.

Banda, 25, came into the tournament off the back of a stellar 12 months which saw her also named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, score the winning goal for club side Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League Championship final, and become Africa’s all-time leading scorer – male or female – in Olympic football.

However, she had been forced to wait a long time to make her mark at a Wafcon.

An unused member of the Copper Queens squad in 2018, she saw the 2020 edition cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and missed out in 2022 amid confusion over ‘gender eligibility’ rules, with the situation later resolved.

But her first contribution on African football’s biggest stage caused obvious fear in the Moroccan rearguard, with three defenders backing off as Banda carried the ball from the halfway line to the edge of the box.

Her shot was on target but should have been saved by goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi, who somehow allowed it to squirm past her to provide a truly electric start.

But Morocco, who dominated with over 70% of possession throughout the game, were not behind for long.

Play was initially waved on by referee Shamirah Nabadda following a clumsy challenge inside the box by Grace Chanda on fellow midfielder Najat Badri, but the video assistant referee advised Nabadda to go to the monitor and the Ugandan duly overturned her original decision.

Jraidi made no mistake from the spot, hitting the ball high into the net to level proceedings in the 12th minute, lifting the volume inside the Olympic Stadium, the venue which will also host the final on 26 July.

Orlando Pride forward Banda then showed her class again 15 minutes later, finding time on the ball to slide a defence-splitting pass into the path of another player based in the USA, Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji, Africa’s most expensive player, who finished calmly past Er-Rmichi.

And deep in first-half injury time, Banda looked set to tap home another goal at the back post, only to see Morocco full-back Hanane Ait El Haj pull off an amazing headed clearance from her own goal line.