Nigeria is on a quest to win its 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON.
The Super Falcons will take on Morocco in the final of this year’s tournament in Rabat on Saturday.
Justin Madugu’s ladies have easily been the best team.
Their group stage performances included a 3-0 thrashing of Tunisia and a 0-0 draw with Algeria, which led to an apology from Madugu.
The apology was followed up with an emphatic 5-0 thumping of Zambia in the quarter-finals, before they eliminated defending champions South Africa 2-1 in the semis.
Sports journalist, Biola Solace-Chukwu, has been in Morocco throughout the competition, keeping an eye on the Falcons.
She tells Newsmen, “I think the Super Falcons grew with each match.
“Despite not scoring in the last group game against Algeria, there were obvious improvements and that especially showed in the quarter-final match against Zambia.
“The semi-final clash with South Africa was expectedly tough.”
Captain Rasheedat Ajibade has been one of the standout performers, winning three consecutive Man of the Match awards, including against Bayana Bayana.
But Solace-Chukwu has picked Ajibade’s teammate, Ashley Plumptre, as the player who has caught the eye.
“Ashleigh Plumptre. My player of the match for every single match played so far,” she said.
Both Ajibade and Plumptre would have to be on their A-game when they face the hosts in Sunday’s final.
It was Morocco that beat them in the semi-final of the 2022 WAFCON.
So, revenge is on the table. And as well as what has been dubbed ‘Mission X’.
“It’s going to be a battle,” Solace-Chukwu says as a matter of fact.
“Home advantage will be a big factor, just as it was against Morocco in the 2022 semi-finals.
“The Olympic Stadium in Rabat has been packed with Moroccan fans all tournament, and it’s expected to be the same for the final.”
But there is a reason the Falcons are the most successful team in Africa.
And they need to put history and the vociferous home support in the background, as they seek to assert themselves again on the continent.
That is why it is important they beat the Atlas Lionesses on their patch.
Solace-Chukwu adds, “I think it brings the fear factor back for the Super Falcons. It will show that this is still the dominant team in Africa.
“It will also be a good experience for the young players in the squad.”
