WAFCON 2022: Super Falcons begin title defence against South Africa's Bayana Bayana
For a rivalry that has gone over two decades, Nigeria has played against South Africa over a dozen times.
After sweating it in Abuja for days and continuing in Morocco, the Super Falcons of Nigeria are all set to begin the defense of their African crown at the 12th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON)
On Monday evening at Complexe Moulay Hassan in Rabat, the Super Falcons in what many regard as a grudge match will be facing arch-rivals, Banyana Banyana of South Africa as both teams will clash in their opening match of 2022 WAFCON.
For a rivalry that has gone over two decades, Nigeria has played against South Africa over a dozen times
As far back as 1995 during the 2nd FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995 African qualifiers when Nigeria hit South Africa 4-0 on March 4, 1995 at Lekan Salami Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan.
The result of the return leg match two weeks later (March 18, 1995) was worse as South Africa suffered a 7-1 whitewash in the hands of Nigerian women in Johannesburg.
Subsequently, Super Falcons have continually dominated Banyana Banyana especially after the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) introduced African Women Championship (AWC) in 1998.
According to the head-to-head record of the meetings between the two countries, the Super Falcons have prevailed in almost all the past games.
Even when South Africa hosted the AWC tournament in 2000, Nigeria still beat them 2-0 in the final.
Two years later South Africa suffered a 5-0 thrashing; followed by Nigeria; another 2-0 loss in 2006; 1-0 defeat in 200I8 and 2-1 loss to Super Falcons in 2010 respectively.
However, the South Africans broke the cycle of defeats in 2012 when they successfully held the Nigeria to two draws in consecutive friendly games which ended 1-1 and 2-2 respectively in June 2012. But, months later, Banyana Banyana would clinch their first victory over Nigeria in the 2012 AWC semi-final match by beating the Super Falcons 1-0.
Also, both met again in the semi-final in 2014 but Nigeria exerted revenge as an Asisat Oshoala brace sealed a 2-1 win over South Africa.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s dominance of South Africa has seriously been threatened by Banyana Banyana with two recent defeats of Nigeria a clear red flag on what to expect when both clash on Monday, June 4 by 6 pm in Rabat.
This is even as South Africa edged Nigeria 1-0 with Thembi Kagthlana late goal at Cape Coast Stadium in the opening match of the last WAFCON in Ghana in December, 2018 and only lost the trophy after a 4-3 penalty shoot-out at Accra Sports Stadium in the epic final three weeks later.
Coach Randy Waldrum and his ladies will be treading with caution against their Monday opponents having suffered a surprise defeat in their hands 10 months ago in the final match of the first edition of the Aisha Buhari Women’s Tournament.
Despite playing on Nigeria’s home soil, the youthful Banyana squad ran away with a spectacular 4-2 victory at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
Monday’s tricky group opener will see Coach Waldrum send out his best legs against a team considered Nigeria’s strongest opposition on the African continent at the moment.
Coach Desiree Ellis on her part is also expected to do likewise as she believes her team can do enough to get the crucial three points at the Moulay Hassan Stadium on Monday.
Coach Waldrum in his pre-match conference said: “Naturally, this is a very big game and we are looking forward to it. It is also a game that should be a good advertisement for African women football. When you have Nigeria playing South Africa at the senior women level, it is a treat.
“Our objectives and expectations remain the same: to earn a ticket to the World Cup and to win the trophy. We will take it one match at a time. It is interesting to play South Africa first, and we can move ahead from there.”
With experience stars like goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France) and defenders:Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (En Avant Guingamp, France); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain) and Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England) in the team, Nigeria is sure of victory over South Africa.
Waldrum may also wish to unleash his tested and trusted players on South Africa. They are midfielders-Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain), Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain) and Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain) as well as forwards Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA), Uchenna Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico) and Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain).
