Nigeria maintains a perfect record in Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals, winning all 10 of their appearances.
In a stunning display of resilience, Nigeria mounted a second-half comeback to defeat host nation Morocco 3-2, securing a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Atlas Lionesses held a 2-0 lead at halftime in Rabat, courtesy of Ghizlane Chebbak’s exquisite strike and Sanaa Mssoudy’s goal.
However, Esther Okoronkwo spearheaded a remarkable turnaround for the West Africans after the break, converting a penalty in the 64th minute following a handball by Nouhaila Benzina.
Okoronkwo then surged into the Moroccan penalty area, setting up Folamide Ijamilusi for the equalizer in the 71st minute, before assisting substitute Jennifer Echegini for the decisive goal with just two minutes remaining.
Relive Nigeria’s Wafcon 2024 final victory as it happened
The 21,000 spectators at the Olympic Stadium were stunned as the Super Falcons erupted in celebration after completing a memorable comeback.
Nigeria’s campaign, dubbed “Mission X,” culminated in success as they reclaimed the title they last won in 2018, preserving their flawless record in Wafcon finals.
Meanwhile, Morocco, who appointed 2023 Women’s World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda in pursuit of their first continental title, suffered their second consecutive Wafcon final defeat.
The Super Falcons will receive $1 million in prize money, doubled since the last edition, and become the first team to hoist the newly designed Wafcon trophy.
Notably, a significant portion of the stadium had emptied before Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe took the stage for the trophy presentation.
The 2024 edition of the tournament faced delays due to scheduling conflicts last year, including the participation of West African teams and Zambia in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Folashade Ijamilusi’s goal in the 71st minute leveled the score for Nigeria.
Nigeria had openly expressed their ambition to secure their 10th Wafcon title, a goal consistently addressed by players in media interactions.
The Super Falcons validated their aspirations with their performances in Morocco, as coach Justin Madugu discovered the optimal strategy in the knockout stages.
However, the top-ranked team in Africa endured a slow start, with Nigeria struggling to match Morocco’s intensity in the first half.
The North Africans took the lead in the 13th minute when Halimatu Ayinde conceded possession to Chebbak, who unleashed a precise shot into the left-hand corner. They doubled their advantage 11 minutes later through Mssoudy’s strike.
Okoronkwo demonstrated composure by converting the penalty after VAR intervention to narrow the deficit to 2-1. She then displayed excellent control and vision to set up Ijamilusi for the equalizer.
A pivotal moment occurred in the 79th minute when Morocco was awarded a penalty after Imane Saoud’s cross struck Blessing Demehin’s hand at close range.
Chebbak prepared to take the penalty, but the Namibian referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa was summoned to the VAR screen and, after nearly four minutes, overturned her initial decision.
The comeback was sealed when Okoronkwo delivered an accurate free-kick, and Echegini beat center-back Benzina to the ball, sweeping it home from close range.
The West Africans have now triumphed over a third host nation in a Wafcon final, following victories against South Africa and Cameroon in 2000 and 2016, respectively.
Ghizlane Chebbak’s impressive early goal had put Morocco ahead against Nigeria.
Morocco has invested heavily in both men’s and women’s football in recent years, with the strong support of King Mohammed VI. However, this defeat means the wait for silverware continues.
The Atlas Lionesses were defeated by South Africa in the 2022 final and recruited Vilda after his departure from Spain following an incident at the Women’s World Cup final, where then-federation president Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso without her consent.
The 44-year-old has enhanced aspects of Morocco’s game, but their path to this year’s final saw them having to come from behind in three matches and requiring penalties to overcome Ghana in the semi-finals.
The North Africans will now aim to rebuild before hosting the 2026 edition of Wafcon, expected to be held in March next year.
Chebbak had hoped to emulate her late father Larbi, an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Morocco in 1976, but must settle for the golden boot after finishing with five goals.
However, she will be 36 by the time the next tournament arrives, and her chances of creating a unique piece of family history appear to be diminishing.