WAFCON 2024: Algerian players, officials celebrate draw with Nigeria like win

From Harry Awurumibe, Casablanca

Players and officials of Algeria’s senior women’s football team, Les Fennecs, celebrated their hard-earned barren draw against Nigeria in the Group B final match at Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday night like they have won the 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Prompt News reports.

This is even as the head coach, Farid Benstiti, who was pacing the touchline of the Algerian bench throughout the 90 minutes of the match, actively involved in the game, offering real-time feedback and instructions to his players, was a relieved man when the final whistle signifying the end of the highly contested match.

A visibly joyous Benstiti punched the air, screamed, before bowing down his head to the turf in brief supplication before running into the pitch to celebrate with his players who were seen bantering each other with broad smiles on their faces.

A few number of Algerian fans who were on the stands in the stadium to cheer their team were also in great ecstacy as they were seen drumming and singing the praises of their resilient team that stifled the Super Falcons to earn a point in the barren draw in both team’s final group B match in Casablanca, which was good enough to help Algeria finish second with five points to Nigeria’s seven points.

Speaking after the encounter, coach Benstiti praised his team’s resilience and discipline in the make or mar match from the Algeria perspective on the night, although he set up his team not to fall to Nigeria easily by the way they played massive defence and conservative attacks.

Said he: “We knew it would take a perfect defensive game to hold Nigeria. I’m proud of the girls–they showed heart and tactical maturity.”

In deed, in Casablanca on Sunday night, Algeria, like it also happened in the match against Botswana, threw women behind the ball in great numbers and stymied the play of the Super Falcons.

Although Super Falcons’s winger Francisca Ordega was vibrant, as she was against Portugal in the friendly match in Lisbon last month, her cross just before half time spilled to Ifeoma Onumonu, whose effort was blocked before it got to the brilliant goalkeeper Chloe N’gazi Boumrar.

The Olympique Marseille goalkeeper and her teammates frustrated the Nigerians in the match Benstiti paraded five defenders, four midfielders, and only one attacker who never even attacked Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie for the 90 minutes of the match.

At last, the Algerians succeeded in grinding out a scoreless draw, which earned them a point and a spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals for the first time ever.