By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No. 1 Women Football Journalist
The wait is finally over for the grudge match between reigning African Champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria and arch-rivals, Banyana Banyana of South Africa as both teams will clash in their opening match of the 12th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco Monday evening.
The top of the bill encounter slated at Complexe Moulay Hassan in Rabat by
6 pm (Nigerian time) is rather coming too early for Nigeria and South Africa as the two countries are playing against each other more frequently in recent time.
Sportsrevelation recalls Nigeria has played against South Africa over a dozen times, dating back to 1995 during the 2nd FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995 African qualifiers when Nigeria hit South Africa 4-0 on March 4, 1995 at Lekan Salami Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan.
The result of the return leg match two weeks later (March 18, 1995) was worse as South Africa suffered a 7-1 whitewash in the hands of Nigeria in
Johannesburg.
Subsequently, Super Falcons have always beaten Banyana Banyana especially after the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) introduced African Women Championship (AWC) in 1998 when South Africa crashed out in the group stage of the competition and Nigeria won her first official trophy.
Super Falcons On the March Again
Statistics of the meeting between the two countries have shown that even when South Africa hosted the tournament in 2000, Nigeria still beat them 2-0 in the final to lift the Maryam Sani Abacha Cup for the second time. Two years later South Africa suffered a 5-0 thrashing; followed by Nigeria; another 2-0 loss in 2006; 1-0 defeat in 200I8 and 2-1 loss to Super Falcons in 2010 respectively.
However, the South Africans broke the cycle of defeats in 2012 when they successfully held the Nigeria to two draws in consecutive friendly games which ended 1-1 and 2-2 respectively in June 2012. But, months later, Banyana Banyana would clinch their first victory over Nigeria in the 2012 AWC semi-final match by beating the Super Falcons 1-0.
Also, both met again in the semi-final in 2014 but Nigeria exerted revenge as an Asisat Oshoala brace sealed a 2-1 win over South Africa.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s dominance of South Africa has seriously been threatened by Banyana Banyana with two recent defeats of Nigeria a clear red flag on what to expect when both clash on Monday, June 4 by 6 pm in Rabat.
This is even as South Africa edged Nigeria 1-0 with Thembi Kagthlana late goal at Cape Coast Stadium in the opening match of the last WAFCON in Ghana in December, 2018 and only lost the trophy after a 4-3 penalty shoot-out at Accra Sports Stadium in the epic final three weeks later.
South Africa players celebrating one of their goals in Lagos
Only last year in September, South Africa humiliated Nigeria with a 4-2 thrashing in the final of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament played at the refurbished Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos precisely on Tuesday, September 21, 2021.
The result of that match was a clear manifestation of the state of both teams since their last meeting in the AWCON final in Ghana just as the victory in Lagos will give the Coach Desiree Ellis-tutored team the audacity to challenge Super Falcons on Monday night.
Buoyed by the huge financial rewards promised the team if they win the WAFCON 2022, Banyana Banyana players will come out smoking against the Super Falcons, the team they beat nearly a year ago. If they are successful in their plans, the Super Falcons quest for a fourth consecutive and 10th overall WAFCON title will be a pipe dream.
The South Africans have a reputation for blowing hot and cold, having made it to four previous WAFCON finals and failed to win the tournament hence they are determined to get their acts together this time around starting with another victory over Nigeria in the first match in Rabat today.
However, Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum has enough weapons in his armoury to finish off the South Africans if the armada of foreign-based players he took to Morocco will play to his institutions. The American-born gaffer who was incharge when South Africa spoilt the party for the organisers of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Tournament in the 4-2 loss to Coach Ellis team, has a second chance to take his pound of flesh in Rabat.
Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum
With experience stars like goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France) and defenders:Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (En Avant Guingamp, France); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain) and Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England) in the team, Nigeria is sure of victory over South Africa.
Waldrum may also wish to unleash his tested and trusted players on South Africa. They are midfielders-Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain), Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain) and Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain) as well as forwards Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA), Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico) and Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain).
Indeed, the Nigerian team is loaded to the hilt to the extent that any of the 25 players the incumbent Head Coach of University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA selected to start the game against South Africa in Rabat can give a good account of herself on the day.
However, the Nigeria versus South Africa match will be won from the bench as the coach with superior tactics will carry the day, although the odds favour Super Falcons to beat the Banyana Banyana in the epic clash.
Lets Go…Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala is expected to lead the line against Banyana Banyana today in Rabat
Another South Africa victory over Nigeria in today’s Group C opening match in Rabat as it happened in Cape Coast, Ghana in 2018 and Lagos, Nigeria in 2021, will certainly put Coach Waldrum and his squad under all sorts pressure as Nigerian football fans are known to be impatient with coaches and teams who churn out bad results.
This is why the Super Falcons should not treat the Banyana Banyana game with kids gloves, the should attack, attack and attack but be very careful of counter-attacker as South Africa is good in grab and smash.
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