Champions Nigeria will throw in
their aces from the referee’s first blast of the whistle in Saturday’s Women
Africa Cup of Nations Final against South Africa at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Coach Thomas Dennerby and
Captain Onome Ebi have spoken of high level of motivation and determination in
the team to retain the Women AFCON trophy and continue Nigeria’s near-absolute
domination of the continental championship.
In 20 years of its existence,
reigning champions Nigeria have dominated the Women AFCON to an embarrassing
degree, with only Equatorial Guinea breaking their clean sweep on only two
occasions, with Mercy Akide, Perpetua Nkwocha (on four occasions), Desire
Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala emerging top scorers at different championships.
The latter two – Desire and
Asisat – are still in the mix, and in fact constitute the Dreaded Duo that the Banyana Banyana will do well to keep sharp
eyes on throughout the 90 minutes on Saturday.
Nigeria and South Africa have
been in the final together once – in 2000, when the South Africans hosted but
the Nigerians successfully retained the trophy after a 2-0 defeat of the hosts
in Johannesburg.
While the whole team worked
together for the hard –fought win over Cameroon in the semi finals, special
credit must go to goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi for her calmness and confidence
throughout, including stopping Gaelle Enganamouit’s kick in the penalty shoot –out,
which lifted the Nigerians’ confidence.
On Saturday, Oluehi would as
usual, be protected by the quartet of Josephine Chukwunonye, Onome Ebi,
Osinachi Ohale and Ngozi Ebere, with Rita Chikwelu, Halimatu Ayinde and Ngozi
Okobi likely to star in the middle, behind Ordega, Oparanozie and Oshoala.
Experience is an advantage
standing ramrod on the Nigerian side, but it would not be an easy afternoon
against a skilful, creative, energetic and technically –savvy Banyana Banyana
side boosted by their 1-0 defeat of the Cup holders in the opening match of
Group B in Cape Town on 18th November.
Some other positives have put
the South African camp in buoyant mood. Victory over Mali in Cape Coast on Tuesday
meant the Banyana will make a first –ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup come
summer of 2019, and players like Thembi Kgatlana (whose goal put Nigeria to the
sword) and Lebohang Ramalepe (sumptuous effort against Mali) are fired up for
Saturday’s final.
Kgatlana has already been
installed as the revelation of the tournament as she leads the goals’ chart
with five, and in Captain Janine Van Wyk, who will be making her 159th
international appearance, the Banyana have a leader who knows where all the crumbled
cookies in African women football have been deposited.
An excellent atmosphere is guaranteed,
with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo of Ghana to head a cast of dignitaries
for the evening. CAF President Ahmad, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana,
Ambassador Olufemi Abikoye, NFF President and CAF 1st Vice President
Amaju Pinnick and SAFA President and CAF Executive Committee member, Danny
Jordaan are also on the list.
AWCON
FINAL MATCHES IN HISTORY
1998:
Nigeria 2 Ghana 0 (Abeokuta)
2000:
South Africa 0 Nigeria 2 (Johannesburg)
2002:
Nigeria 2 Ghana 0 (Warri)
2004:
Nigeria 5 Cameroon 0 (Johannesburg)
2006:
Nigeria 1 Ghana 0 (Warri)
2008:
Equatorial Guinea 2 South Africa 1 (Malabo)
2010:
Nigeria 4 Equatorial Guinea 2 (Johannesburg)
2012:
Equatorial Guinea 4 South Africa 0 (Malabo)
2014:
Nigeria 2 Cameroon 0 (Windhoek)
2016:
Cameroon 0 Nigeria 1 (Yaounde)
2018:
Nigeria Vs South Africa (Accra)
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