Nigeria claimed their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title on Saturday night with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in Rabat. The Super Falcons, who have now won every WAFCON final they have contested, once again showcased their dominance on the continental stage.
The match at the fully packed Stade Olympique de Rabat started with Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses on the front foot. Captain Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring in the 13th minute, firing home from the edge of the box after capitalising on a misplaced pass from Nigeria’s Halimatu Ayinde. Eleven minutes later, Saana Mssoudy doubled Morocco’s lead, darting past Michelle Alozie to smash the ball beyond Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Nigeria, nine-time champions before the match, pushed forward in search of a response. Rasheedat Ajibade came close in the 40th minute when her cross narrowly missed three advancing teammates.
The Super Falcons roared back in the second half, with Esther Okoronkwo igniting the comeback in the 64th minute from the penalty spot. Seven minutes later, Okoronkwo bulldozed her way into the Moroccan box and set up Folasade Ijamilusi, who coolly slotted home the equaliser.
The hosts were denied a chance to regain the lead in the 78th minute when a VAR review overturned a penalty decision against Tosin Demehin. Nigeria seized the momentum, and in the 88th minute, substitute Jennifer Echegini completed the turnaround by scoring from an Okoronkwo free-kick.
Rasheedat Ajibade was named Player of the Tournament, while goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was awarded Goalkeeper of the Tournament for her outstanding displays.
The Super Falcons’ path to the title was marked by revenge victories over teams that had defeated them in the 2022 edition. They demolished Zambia 5-0 in the quarter-finals, edged past South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in the semi-finals, and finally overcame Morocco, who had eliminated them on penalties in 2022.
Nigeria’s triumph also came with a $1 million prize and reaffirmed their status as Africa’s most successful women’s football team.
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