WAFCON 2024: Falcons complete Mission X with comeback win over Morocco

Super Falcons win 10th WAFCON title after stunning comeback vs Morocco. Okoronkwo stars as Nigeria overcomes 2-goal deficit in dramatic final.

The Super Falcons celebrate after final whistle on Saturday as they came from behind to beat Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2024 WAFCON. (Photo credit: GOAL)

It was dramatic, it was frenetic, but one thing was always going to happen: the relentless Nigerian spirit coming to the fore when the world thinks it’s done. The Super Falcons are the champions of Africa again.

The road to the final was pretty straightforward; from a seemingly easy group stage in which Chiamaka Nnadozie didn’t have so much to do to the game everyone thought would be tough but ended up being a walk in the park against Zambia, the Nigerian girls rolled over the Zambians like they weren’t there.

South Africa’s Bayana-Bayana posed some level of threat, but all was the Falcons’ making. After scoring the opener from the spot, the Nigerians relaxed, and South Africa got back into the game; however, Gloria Alozie struck late to send the Super Falcons into the final.

Hosts Morocco came in having fought hard to beat Ghana on penalties. It wasn’t a tough group stage expedition for Morocco, but they laboured in their semifinal clash against the Black Queens, and that handed them some belief in the final.

Who would have thought the Super Falcons would go two goals down in the first half, where they played like they’d never seen a round leather before? Every aspect of the game ticked for the hosts, but one thing remained sacrosanct: the belief from the Nigerian contingent in the stands. It was overwhelming.

The Moroccans ran riot in the first half, scoring their opener after a defensive mix-up by the Nigerians, and the Atlas Lioness’s captain, Ghizlane Chebakk, curled a beauty past Nnadozie; that was supposed to wake the Super Falcons, but all it did was to power the hosts forward.

One became two when the lively winger, Sanaa Mssoudy, made it two with a scuffy strike that left Nnadozie flat-footed. The Super Falcons went into the break with a two-goal deficit, and everyone was wondering what they would do differently in the second half.

The Super Falcons did respond; they dominated the second half, and with some inspired substitutions from the coach, Nigeria turned it around. Young talent Esther Okoronkwo converted from the spot shortly after the hour mark after Nouhaila Benzina handled the ball around the byline.

Okoronkwo then set up Folamide Ijamilusi in the Morocco area for the second goal, and just when everyone thought the game was set up for extra time, Okoronkwo’s brilliant free kick found another substitute, Jennifer Echegini, who side-footed into the net for Nigeria’s winner.

Nnadozie won the Golden Glove for her four clean sheets, while the Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade won the Player of the Tournament award. The win handed the Super Falcons their tenth WAFCON success, a record that will take some decades to match by anyone.