The defeat means the 10-time African champions will miss the World Cup for the first time since the tournament was inaugurated in 1991.

The Super Falcons had been hoping to secure one of Africa’s remaining routes to the tournament through the Inter-Confederation Playoffs after both teams exited the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa lost 2-0 to hosts Morocco, while Nigeria suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in their respective quarter-final matches.

At the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, Moorcco, the Super Falcons started brightly, creating opportunities through swift counter-attacking movements led by Asisat Oshoala and Francisca Ordega.

Nigeria’s best opportunity of the first half fell to Michelle Alozie, who found space inside the South African penalty area but dragged her effort narrowly wide.

Coach Justin Madugu’s side continued to dominate possession after the restart, but South Africa broke the deadlock in the 56th minute through Thembi Kgatlana.

Nigeria pressed for an equaliser but Banyana Banyana doubled their advantage in the 77th minute when captain, Refiloe Jane, converted a rebound which deflected off substitute, Christy Ucheibe.

Falcons were handed a lifeline in the 89th minute when Jane handled Alozie’s goal-bound header inside the penalty area.

Following a Video Assistant Referee review, the referee awarded Nigeria a penalty and showed Jane a second yellow card, reducing South Africa to 10 players.

Ucheibe converted the resulting spot-kick to reduce the deficit to 2-1, but Nigeria could not find another goal despite sustained pressure in stoppage time.

South Africa will now be one of six teams at the preliminary round of the Inter-Confederation Playoffs for places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The result brings an end to Nigeria’s campaign for the tournament, marking a historic absence for the nine-time African champions.

The failure to qualify also ends their unbroken participation at every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the competition began in 1991.

Source: NAN

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The 2026 WAFCON to be hosted in Morocco, also doubles as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Days after the senior men’s national team of Nigeria, Super Eagles, dashed Bénin’s dream of a first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, Falcons will now aim to complete a double heartbreak for their West African neighbours.

Head coach, Justine Madugu, has called up a strong and experienced team, headlined by captain Rasheedat Ajibade, the Player of the Tournament in this year’s WAFCON in Morocco.

She is joined by goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie (Africa’s reigning Goalkeeper of the Year) as well as Michelle Alozie, Ashleigh Plumptre, and six-time CAF Women’s Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala.

The first leg of the qualifier will be played on October 24 in Lomé, Togo, as Benin do not have a stadium approved by CAF while  the return leg is slated for the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta October 28.

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SUPER FALCONS FOR WAFCON QUALIFYING FIXTURE VS BÉNIN:

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton Hove & Albion, England); Anderline Mgbechi (Rivers Angels); Rachael Unachukwu (Nasarawa Amazons)

Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Shukurat Oladipo (AS Roma, Italy); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies FC, Saudi Arabia); Blessing Ilivieda (Bayelsa Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive, Turkey); Miracle Usani (Abia Angels)

Midfielders: Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint Germain, France); Taiwo Afolabi (Rivers Angels); Deborah Abiodun (Washington Spirit, USA); Jennifer Echegini (Paris Saint Germain, France); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)

Forwards: Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Joy Omewa (Fortuna Hjorrin FC, Denmark); Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto, Canada); Asisat Oshoala (Al Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia); Folashade Ijamilusi (Liaoning Shenyang Shenbei Hefeng, China); Kafayat Mafisere (Edo Queens)

Source: NAN

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Captain, Rasheedat Ajibade, got Justine Madugu’s side off to a flying start with the opener in the 45th minute.

She converted a penalty into the bottom corner touching Banyana Banyana goalie, Andile Dlamini after a foul by South Africa’s Bambanani Mbane.

This came after incessant attacking pressure from the Super Falcons including saves from Dlamini.

The 2022 champions, however, came out strong in the second half hoping for an equalizer.

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A foul by Osinachi Ohale inside the box led to another penalty which was converted by Linda Motlhalo in the hour mark to level things.

With the game heading towards extra time, a seeming cross by Michelle Alozie resulted into the winning goal in the additional minutes of the second half.

The win ensured that Nigeria will be playing in their 10th WAFCON final as they continue their quest to win their 10th title with mantra “Mission X”.

Ajibade was again named Woman of the Match as Nigeria will await the winner of the second semi final clash between hosts Morocco and Ghana.

Source: NAN

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This was after they defeated hosts Cape Verde 2-1, for a 7-1 aggregate win in the final round of the qualification series.

The hosts started like a house on fire at the Santiago-Estádio Nacional Cabo Verde in Praia raiding the Super Falcons’ goal area.

Their quick-off-the-blocks approach paid off when Ivania Tavares Moreira got the ball past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie for a goal in the 9th minute.

Sensing the possibility of being able to do the unexpected, the Cape Verdeans swarmed all over the Nigerian rear and earned a couple of corner kicks in the process.

But the resilient Super Falcons, spurred on by members of the Nigerian community cheering in the stands, quickly repelled the onslaughts and launched some of their own.

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A couple of corner kicks and free-kicks after, the Nigerians rose to the ascendancy, but the scoreline remained the same as the teams went into recess.

Coach Justin Madugu threw Esther Onyenezide and the clinical Esther Okoronkwo into the fray at the beginning of the second half, for Peace Efih and Uchenna Kanu.

Okoronkwo, never one to engage in frivolities, got the ball in the net 11 minutes into the second half, only to be judged off-side.

The hosts would not be as lucky six minutes later, as Okoronkwo, who got two of the goals when the Falcons brushed aside the Verdeans 5-0 in Abuja on Thursday, scored to draw Nigeria level.

Captain Rasheedat Ajibade saw her shot fly over the crossbar in the 71st minute.

Substitute Rinsola Babajide could have got her first international goal but saw her low drive agonisingly miss the target by a few inches 10 minutes later.

Yet, the sterling Ajibade would have the last laugh, scoring three minutes into added time.

The goal ensured victory for Nigeria and an overwhelming aggregate win that takes the Falcons into next year’s finals as undoubtedly the team to beat.

Source: NAN

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Uchenna Kanu, with a first-half brace, and substitute Esther Okoronkwo, with a second-half brace, swept the nine-time African champions into a comfortable lead in the fixture.

The result earned the Super Falcons a place in the finals slated for Morocco in the summer of 2024.

Gift Monday rocked the bar from a 22-yard free-kick in the 4th minute before Kanu benefitted from a goalmouth scramble that followed a corner kick to slot past goalkeeper Jacinta Rodrigues.

Rodrigues did better two minutes later when she palmed a left-footed angled drive from captain Rasheedat Ajibade.

In the 14th minute, Kleydiana Borges came close with a shot that was charged down by Oluwatosin Demehin.

Toni Payne missed from close range to let off the Cape Verdeans, five minutes later.

However, Gift Monday made good from another goalmouth melee in the 25th minute, to make it two for the hosts at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

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Petite midfielder Deborah Abiodun, whose turns, swerves and sweet touches were a delight all evening, came close with a 25-yard volley on the half-hour mark.

But Kanu made good again just before the break, making no mistake from a pass from Toni Payne on a swift counter-attack launched by Ajibade.

In the second half, the Falcons again completely dominated, with Okoronkwo lifting the ball past Rodrigues in the 67th minute.

This was after she received a lovely cross from Ajibade by the right.

She then shot past the visiting goalkeeper from a Rofiat Imuran cross from the left with 13 minutes left.

Speaking after match coach, Justin Madugu, said the game was still work in progress.

He said the girls would always give their best for the country any time.

Madugu commended Abiodun for her superlative performance, adding that she needed to be encouraged.

“We thank God the game was won and lost. The game is still a work in progress. We are not going to relent.

“The girls did what was expected of them and they played according to the game plan.

“We were able to analyse the Cape Verdeans game but it doesn’t mean that we are not going to give our best during the return leg next Wednesday,” he said.

Also speaking, the Cape Verde coach, Silvenia Nedio, congratulated Nigeria for their victory.

She said Nigeria was a super power country in African football, and she was not surprised about the score line.

The coach was  optimistic that anything could happen during the return leg in Cape Verde.

“Everything can happen in seconds in Cape Verde and that we know.

“We have learnt a lot from this game and we’ll always give our best. We are doing everything possible to improve the women national team.

“We have nine players that played outside Cape Verde but most of our players play at home.

“But we’ll always give our best at all times. The captain, Vansenia da Luz, also corroborated the coach’s submission saying they will continue to learn and give their best,” he said.

Both teams will clash in the second leg in Praia, capital of Cape Verde on December 5.

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