National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By Dayo Emmanuel
Nigeria’s Super Falcons have booked a spot in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a thrilling 2–1 victory over arch-rivals Banyana Banyana of South Africa at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca.
In a fiercely contested semifinal match, the Falcons showed resilience and dominance, delivering a last-minute shocker to clinch the win in dramatic fashion.
The first half ended on a high note for Nigeria after Folashade Ijamilusi was fouled inside the box during stoppage time. Team vice-captain Rasheedat Ajibade made no mistake from the spot, confidently converting the penalty to give Nigeria a 1–0 lead going into halftime.
South Africa responded strongly in the second half. Around the 60th minute, a foul by Nigerian defender Osinachi Ohale gifted Banyana Banyana a penalty, which they converted to draw level.
Just as the match looked set for extra time, Nigerian defender Michelle Alozie produced a moment of magic in the dying seconds. Her long cross in the 90+4 minute unexpectedly slipped past everyone, including South Africa’s goalkeeper, and found its way into the net—sealing a famous 2–1 win for the Super Falcons.
Ajibade’s composure under pressure and Alozie’s decisive contribution earned them standout ratings of 7.7 and 7.1 out of 10, respectively. Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie had a relatively quiet night but stayed alert in key moments, while Ohale’s defensive effort was slightly tainted by the penalty incident.
With the victory, Nigeria now advances to the WAFCON final, where they will face the winner of the second semifinal clash between Ghana and hosts Morocco.
It was a memorable night for the nine-time champions, who once again proved their pedigree in African women’s football with a heroic performance under pressure.
