President Bola Tinubu on Sunday led national celebrations after Nigeria’s women’s football team staged a dramatic comeback to clinch a record-extending Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco.
The 3-2 victory against hosts Morocco in Rabat confirmed the West Africans as the queens of women’s football in Africa as they pulled off a 10th title in 13 editions.
Tinubu said the team’s “spectacular performance… exemplifies the determination that defines the Nigerian spirit”.
The Super Falcons staged a remarkable comeback from being two goals down to beat Morocco on Saturday night.
Esther Okoronkwo and Folashade Ijamilusi led the fight back at Rabat’s Stade Olympique before substitute Jennifer Echegini swept home an 88th minute winner.
Morocco skipper Ghizlane Chebbak and dribbling winger Sanaa Mssoudy scored in the first half hour to see the home team take a surprise lead as they sought to become only the fourth country to take the continental title after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
A capacity crowd saw Chebbak increase her tournament tally to five goals as she fired home from the edge of the area in the 12th minute after Nigeria had failed to clear properly.
Mssoudy’s goal came 12 minutes later, after Morocco striker Ibtissam Jraidi had crashed into centre back Marvis Ohale and the ball spilled out for Mssoudy to cut in and finish, but the referee determined there was no foul play and let the second goal stand.
Nigeria dominated play thereafter and forced a succession of set pieces, but it took some good fortune to begin their comeback.
Ijamilusi’s cross struck defender Nouhaila Benzina on the than,d but Nigeria were only awarded a penalty after a VAR review. Okoronkwo tucked away the spot kick to reduce the score in the 64th minute.
Seven minutes later, they were level as Okoronkwo powered her way through the Moroccan defense before unselfishly squaring for Ijamilusi to tap the ball home.
Morocco were then awarded a penalty with 10 minutes remaining in another contentious handball call but this was overturned after the referee was asked to review.
A crestfallen home team were then caught out as Echegeni raced onto the ball and tucked it away from close range for a dramatic winner.
‘Lifted our spirits’
Nigeria have now reestablished their continental dominance after having ceded the title to South Africa at the last edition in 2022.
“You have lifted our spirits. You are a pride to your generation,” Tinubu told the team in a post-match video call.
“You have achieved the mission the nation dreamed of and prayed for. Nigeria celebrates you.”
Dubbed Mission X, the WAFCON title was a tonic for many Nigerians enduring the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation as the government carries out reforms.
Muhammad Awwal, a taxi driver who relocated to the northern city of Kano to escape the violence of Borno state, the epicentre of the jihadist insurgency, hailed the Falcons for helping Nigerians to “momentarily forget our common problems”.
“Everywhere people erupted in celebration after the final whistle. All our problems were drowned in the frenzy of celebration of the spectacular win,” Awwal told AFP.
“Last night all the problems tormenting us – the high cost of living, banditry and Boko Haram violence – disappeared.
“It was a great relief, thanks to the Falcons,” he said.
Abuja housewife Comfort Zamani agreed: “Life has not been easy, but at least the girls helped us to forget the hardships even if for only a few hours,” she told AFP.
“They have given us some hope that we should keep fighting and not give up even when things are rough.”
In the densely populated neighborhoods of Dako, Kabusa and Galadimawa of the Nigerian capital Abuja, loud cheers tore through the late night to celebrate Nigeria’s two comeback goals.
But the loudest cheers were heard when substitute Jennifer Echegini swept home a free kick with only two minutes left on the clock for the championship-winning goal, and then at full time.
Sunday newspaper carried front page headlines such as “Unstoppable Falcons win 10th WAFCON from two goals down” and “Super Falcons rule Africa again.”
Chairman of the country’s supporters club Vincent Okumagba further congratulated the players “for accomplishing ‘Mission X'” and for “not giving up when they were down.”
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