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After quarter-final exit at the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, the Super Falcons are determined to make the best of a second window of opportunity to reach next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, as they confront arch-rivals Banyana Banyana of South Africa in Casablanca on Thursday.
It is a year and 22 days since both teams’ last clash – a turgid and dramatic Women Africa Cup of Nations semi final also played in Casablanca, which Nigeria edged 2-1 with a spectacular added-time goal by defender Michelle Alozie. The strike knocked then Cup-holders South Africa cold, in a game each time had earlier scored once from the penalty spot.
South Africa’s Banyana Banyana have been victorious over the Super Falcons in three editions of the Women Africa Cup of Nations – 2012, 2018 and 2022. However, those are three of only four competitive matches in which South Africa’s senior women have beaten their Nigerian counterparts, with the 10-time African champions having defeated Banyana in 17 other clashes.
Thursday’s encounter could prove even more fierce than any of their past encounters, with both teams eager to advance and reach the Inter-Confederations Playoff Tournament – the window they have now to reach Brazil 2027 after failing to reach the Women AFCON semi finals.
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Venue is the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, with kickoff set for 9pm.
Before last year’s Women AFCON semi-final duel, both teams had fought a titanic battle in two matchdays for a spot at the 2024 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade’s goal from the penalty spot in Abuja separating the two teams in 180 minutes. Two years earlier, the Banyana had edged the Falcons 2-1 in the two teams’ opening match of the 2022 Women AFCON in Morocco.
Ajibade will still lead out the Falcons on Thursday, while the Banyana still have the precocious and lethal Thembi Kgatlana in their ranks.
After creating so many opportunities but failing to hit target in the duel with Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses on Sunday, Coach Justin Madugu will surely opt to start with a couple of clinical finishers on Thursday.
