Nigeria’s Group B Opponent, Botswana, hold Zambia to 1-1 draw in pre-WAFCON friendly 

…As Ivory Coast, Ghana’s match end 3-3 in Abidjan

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

While the Super Falcons and Indomitable Lionesses’ much-advertised high profile international friendly match billed for Saturday at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun state was cancelled at the last minute, Nigeria’s Group B opponent in the upcoming CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2024, Botswana, held Zambia to a 1-1 draw in their friendly match played in South Africa.

The Cooper Queens captain  and reigning CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda put the Zambians in front in the 67th minute while Gaonyadiwe Ontlametse equalised for the Zebra Queens in the 8th  even as Zambia fired seven shots on target while Botswana hit four shots on target of their own.

However, Zambia was  dominance in possession with 66% while Botswana had 34% ball possession but were not outscored at the end of the high-stake match which was part of the Three-Nation Friendlies involving host South Africa, Botswana and Zambia as the COSAFA Region’s countries’ preparations for the 15th CAF WAFCON finals holding in Morocco from July 5 to 26, 2025, during the May 26 to June 3, 2025, FIFA international match calendar.

Also, last Wednesday at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, narrowly beat Botswana 3-2 in the first match of the  international friendlies as Botswana continues to fine-tune their strategies to confront Group B opponents, Nigeria,  Algeria and Tunisia who will play their matches in Casablanca.

Elsewhere, on Friday, May 30, 2025, Tanzania defeated DR Congo 2-1 while host Ivory Coast and West African neighbours Ghana played out a 3-3 draw in a six goals thriller at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan.

Both Ivory Coast and Ghana will clash again on Tuesday, June 3 just as South Africa will confront Zambia which DR Congo and Tanzania will battle each other again on the same date.

Prompt News reports that the nine-time African champions Nigeria will on Monday play only one match with old rivals Cameroon at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun state after the first leg of the proposed double-header international friendlies was cancelled due to the late arrival of the Cameroonians following what they described as a logistics reasons.

Selected Results of African Women’s International Friendlies:

*Wednesday, May 28, 2025

South Africa 3 vs 2 Botswana

*Friday, May 30, 2025

Tanzania 2 1 DR Congo

Ivory Coast 3 vs 3 Ghana

*Saturday, May 31, 2025

Zambia 1 1 Botswana

*Monday, June 2, 2025

Nigeria Cameroon

*Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Ivory Coast vs Ghana

Tanzania vs DR Congo

South Africa vs Zambia.