The Super Falcons of Nigeria mounted a spirited second-half comeback to clinch a dramatic victory over the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco in their Women’s African Cup of Nations Final as they clinched a historic, record-extending 10th WAFCON title at the Stade Olympique de Rabat.
The match had all the hallmarks of a classic. The Super Falcons aimed to complete Mission X in grand style, while the Atlas Lionesses aimed for a maiden continental title at home. In the build-up to the final, the Nigerians were billed as favourites for the trophy against hosts Morocco; rightly so, their credentials speak for themselves.
Unexpectedly, the Super Falcons trailed behind their Moroccan opponents in the 12th minute. The hosts doubled their lead shortly after as they were fixated on etching their names into the annals of history by winning Morocco’s first-ever continental title on home soil.
The Nigerians were heading to a monumental defeat until one woman stood up defiantly and forever altered the course of history. Her name is Esther Okoronkwo! Legends are made in moments of trials, and on her date with destiny, she exploded with otherworldly brilliance. The Super Falcons showed their pedigree, resilience, and dominance to mount an extraordinary turnaround and cement their status as Africa’s best.
How it Happened
Captain Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring for the hosts with a stunning effort in the 12th minute from the edge of the box, capitalising expertly after the Nigerians failed to clear their lines properly. Her goal sent the home side into raptures of joy. Another moment of calamitous defending gave the Moroccans their second goal in the 24th minute as Sanaâ Mssoudy skipped past Michelle Alozie to beat Chiamaka Nnadozie, netting two unanswered goals within twelve minutes. The jubilant Moroccan fans could not contain their ecstasy as they were on the cusp of history.
For the Nigerians, Mission X was spiraling into oblivion, and dejection was palpable on the faces of fans and players alike as the Moroccans took a commanding two-nil lead into the break.
Unwilling to give up without a fierce fight, Nigerian Coach Justin Madugu rallied his Falcons together at the break, rousing their deflated spirits and inspiring them to give it their all. His speech worked wonders as The Falcons mounted one of the greatest comebacks in international football history in the 22 minutes.
The game sparked to life right after the stroke of the hour mark as Folashade Ijamilusi’s cross was blocked by Moroccan defender Nouhaila Benzina in Morocco’s penalty area. Following a VAR review, the Nigerian team was awarded a penalty, and Okoronkwo stepped up. With a nation’s continental hopes hanging in the balance, she braced herself and buried the penalty emphatically, sending the goalkeeper in the opposite direction. Calm as you like! Her goal ignited the comeback and swung the match’s momentum in Nigeria’s favour.
The Nigerians regained possession in their half, and Folashade Ijamilusi sent Okoronkwo on a quick counterattack. Esther Okoronkwo charged at the Moroccan players, weaving through countless opposition players, benefiting from a mix-up between them, before laying off the ball on a silver platter for Ijamilusi, allowing her to easily poke it into the net. The first half deficit overturned, and game on!
Morocco had a penalty call in the 80th minute, but was overturned following a VAR intervention. As it seemed the match was heading into a stalemate, a moment of magic changed the course of history.
Nigeria’s dead-ball specialist, Esther Okoronkwo, was the architect again as she whipped a trademark inch-perfect delivery to substitute Joe Echegini, who hammered the ball into the net calmly. Comeback complete! A second-half clinical masterclass to erase their first-half disaster class and send Nigerians into jubilation.
Despite a flurry of attacks and increased pressure from the Moroccans in the game’s closing minutes, the Nigerians held their ground and resolutely denied their North African rivals. Heartbreak for the Moroccans, triumph for the Nigerians. Esther Okoronkwo’s iconic performance was one for the ages and it earned her a deserved Man of the Match award. The African Football Queens reign supreme, undefeated, unstoppable, and triumphant. They established their unrivalled dominance in the tournament with their 10th victory in the 13th edition. No other nation has won it twice! It was deja vu for Morocco as they lost consecutive finals, following their loss to South Africa in the 2022 edition.
With their rout of Zambia, the Super Falcons showed that the news of their demise was greatly exaggerated. Their victory against defending champions South Africa in the semi-final emphasized their doggedness and remarkable resilience. Their gritty performance in the final displayed their unyielding spirit and reiterated their status as mentality monsters.
Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was named Goalkeeper of the Year, Super Captain Rasheedat Ajibade was named Player of the tournament, and Coach Justin Madugu was named Coach of the Tournament. Following their triumph, The Super Falcons now hold the record for the most continental titles in women’s football history — 10! They’ve surpassed both the USA and China (9 each). Congratulations to this Nigerian team!
