…Completes Mission X in Rabat
…Wins $1m prize money
The Super Falcons of Nigeria beat host Morocco 3-2 in Rabat on Saturday to emerge champion of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024.
The Nigerian ladies completed their ‘Mission X’ by beating the North Africans 2-3 on home soil to lift their 10th continental title in women’s AFCON.
Esther Okoronkwo brought Nigeria back into the game by converting a 64th minute penalty to reignite the fire in the Nigerian ladies.
Seven minutes later, Folashade Florence Ijamilusi brought Nigeria levels with Morocco in the 71st minute.
The moment of triumph came for the Super Falcons in the 88 minutes when
Jennifer Echegini, introduced into the game in the second half became the supersub of the Nigerian ladies with the winning goal.
Football truly is a game of two halves as Nigeria’s Super Falcons came from two goals down to accomplished Mission X, beating the home side 3-2.
The home side dominated the first half beating the Nigerian ladies in the 13th and 24th minutes with goals from Chebbak 13′ and Mssoudy 24′ to take a two goals lead advantage into the second half.
Both sides are unbeaten and the West Africans have only conceded one goal in five matches on their journey to the 21,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
Runners-up in that same stadium in 2022, Morocco were seeking redemption on home soil.
The Atlas Lionesses came into the game seeking some dividends for the vast investment the kingdom has poured into the women’s game in recent years.
The North Africans, with Spain’s Women’s World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda in the dugout, needed penalty kicks to get past Ghana in the semis.
However, Nigeria, the continent’s top-ranked side, scored a stoppage-time winner to knock out defending champions South Africa.
“Mission X – that’s what this entire tournament was about,” defender Michelle Alozie, who scored the winning goal in the semi-final told BBC Sport Africa.
The Super Falcons campaign in the tournament have been nothing less of
confidence with the branded ‘Mission X’ tag.
“It’s going all the way to the final and winning it. We’re growing as a team and I think that shows every game,” Alozie.
Following their victory over Morocco, the Super Falcons picked the $1m (£743,000) prize money as well as lifting the new-look WAFCON trophy.
