Nigeria, Cameroon Showdown: Ohale, Aboudi relive 14-year-old rivalry 

By Harry Awurumibe,  Africa’s No. 1 Women Football Journalist

When the Super Falcons take on the Indomitable Lionesses in a crucial quarter-final clash at Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca tomorrow, one player each in the lineup of Nigeria and Cameroon will relive their 14-year-old rivalry in their quest to help their team to reach the semi-final stage of the 14th edition of Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.

The two players are Nigeria’s veteran defender Osinachi Mavis Ohale and old war-horse Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene of Cameroon who first met in the competitive game in London 2012 Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament African Qualifiers two-legged ties between their countries.

Ohale who was not  featured by former Super Falcons head coach Eucharia Uche

in Nigeria’s 2-1 victory over Cameroon at Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja on August 27, 2011 was in the thick of things in the return leg encounter at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde on October 22, 2011.

Unfortunately, the former youth international lasted only 26 minutes on the pitch before the Moroccan centre referee El Harkaoui Incaf issued a red card to send the hard tackler to early shower in the match which ended in a penalty shootouts that was decided in the night without floodlights on in favour of Cameroon.

In the shootouts which Super Falcons goalkeeper Precious Dede complained bitterly of poor visibility but was ignored by the Moroccan referee, Cameroon outscored Nigeria 4-3 but Aboudi lost her own kick.

However, Ohale who played her first WAFCON then known as the African Women’s Championship (AWC)

in 2010 in South Africa has become a recurring decimal in the heart of Nigeria’s defence has gone ahead to feature in seven more WAFCON despite the early set back.

Also, in the seven appearances, Ohale has won five WAFCON titles with Nigeria and still eying the sixth trophy the 10-time African champions go all the way again in the ongoing tournament.

Should both Ohale and Aboudi feature in the Nigeria versus Cameroon match in Casablanca tomorrow, they will not be strangers to each other in the field.