Super Falcons in Stunning Comeback to Clinch 10th WAFCON Title
Nigeria’s Super Falcons secured their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in thrilling fashion on Saturday night, defeating hosts Morocco 3-2 in a pulsating final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The victory marked a dramatic turnaround for Justin Madugu’s side, who found themselves two goals down by halftime but staged a powerful second-half resurgence to reclaim their continental crown.
The match began with a fiery pace, with the Falcons showing early attacking intent. However, it was Morocco who opened the scoring in the 13th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse.
A loose ball in the Nigerian box fell kindly for tournament top scorer Ghizlane Chebbak, who made no mistake in slotting past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The Atlas Lionesses doubled their lead in the 28th minute. Zineb Mssoudy collected the ball on the left edge of the Nigerian penalty area and drilled a low left-footed strike into the net, sending the home crowd into raptures and putting Morocco firmly in control.
Despite attempts by Nigeria’s Ijamilusi Folashade to claw back momentum, her effort lacked power and was comfortably gathered by Moroccan keeper Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The first half ended 2-0 in favour of the hosts, who appeared poised to repeat their 2024 semi-final triumph over the Nigerians.
But the Super Falcons emerged for the second half with renewed energy and tactical sharpness. Their high pressing and quick transitions soon rattled the Moroccan defence. A mix-up in the Moroccan box nearly led to a goal after Er-Rmichi collided with her own defender, but the danger was cleared.
Nigeria’s persistence finally paid off in the 63rd minute when Ijamilusi’s hooked cross struck the outstretched arm of Nouhaila Benzina in the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and Chinwendu Okoronkwo stepped up to calmly dispatch the penalty, sparking hope for a comeback.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider. Racing down the right wing, she cut inside and squared the ball to Ijamilusi, who finished from close range to level the scores at 2-2.
The decisive moment came in the 88th minute. Substitute Jennifer Echegini found space at the edge of the box and curled a composed finish beyond the Moroccan keeper to complete the turnaround and hand Nigeria the trophy.
Statistically, Nigeria were the more dominant side, registering 14 shots (five on target) to Morocco’s 10, and maintaining 55% possession. The Super Falcons completed 280 passes with a 69% accuracy rate, and earned five corners compared to Morocco’s three.
Despite the intensity of the match, it was played in good spirit, with no cards issued. Nigeria committed seven fouls to Morocco’s 12.
With the win, Nigeria reaffirms its status as Africa’s most successful women’s football nation and celebrates a landmark 10th WAFCON title — a historic feat built on resilience, character, and sheer determination.
