Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face South Africa in the final of the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations after defeating Cameroon 4-2 on penalties at the Accra Sports Stadium.
With the victory, Nigeria and South Africa have booked their tickets to the 2019 FIFA women’s World Cup, holding in France.
The Super Falcons will face South Africa on Saturday, December 1, 2018, in the final of the AWCON match in Ghana after the latter defeated Mali 2-0 in their semi-final fixture at the Cape Coast Stadium late Tuesday.
Nigeria will hope to redeem their image in the final match, having lost their first match against the Bayana Bayana side in their first match, the first lost in the history of the competition.
The Total Africa Women Cup of Nations is an international women’s football competition held every two years and sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Nigeria is the most successful nation in the tournament’s history and the defending champion, having won a record 10 titles, meaning they have won all but two of the previous tournaments.
The competition also served as a qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women’s World Cup every other tournament since its inception in 1991.
After opening day games in Accra that saw the South Africa girls with a 1-0 victory over the Super Falcons of Nigeria, attention is now shifted to Accra where the top African sides are set to face each other in Saturday’s final.
The Banyana Banyana are hoping for a victory against the Africa champions after qualifying for their first senior Women’s World Cup in France next year.
Both sides are set to renew their rivalry again in what will be their tenth encounter at the women’s championship since inaugurated in 2000, having met nine times in 10 previous editions.
Saturday’s final clash will be the first between both top nations, with Nigeria celebrating victories in all, except the 1-0 semi-final loss at Equatorial Guinea 2012.
Interestingly, the winner came off the foot of captain Janine Van Wyk, who recently hit 150 international caps – the highest ever by any player for South Africa.
This time, the southern Africa giants will look to replicate their 2012 heroics in the bid to avert an eighth Awcon loss against the west African queens.
Possible Line-up
Nigeria XI: Tochukwu Oluehi, Oshinachi Ohale, Ngozi Ebere, Faith Micheal, Onome Ebi; Halimatu Ayinde, Ngozi Okobi, Rita Chikwelu Amarachi Okoronkwo; Francisca Ordega, Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie
South Africa XI: Lebohang Ramalepe, Janine Van Wyk, Nothando Vilakazi, Noko Matlou; Linda Motlhalo, Leandra Smeda, Refiloe Jane, Nompumelelo Nyandeni; Jermaine Seoposenwe, Christina Kgatlana, Amanda Mthandi.
