Super Falcons Lie in Wait for Bayana Bayana in AWCON Thriller

 


Since South Africa made their AWCON debut in 1998 in Abeokuta, the team has waxed strong and become a great side in Africa.

As an undergraduate then, I was among those that cheered the predominantly beautiful, slim white ladies with a sprinkle of black players then. They played badly and lost out but we cheered them on for their beauty and not football prowess.

Years later, the Bayana Bayana have now become Nigeria's Super Falcons most formidable opponents. The Nigerian ladies still possess better head to head records, but the South Afrians are no longer far behind. In fact, they won the last edition also held in Morocco while Nigeria failed to win a medal for the first time in their history.

 Now, the Nigerian side are beginning to right some of the wrongs of the previous edition. Head coach, Randy Waldrum showed deficiency in some areas, many us of don't really think we need a foreign coach for the women. The team had played their best football under Nigerian coaches. Remember their exploits at the 1999 Women's World Cup in the USA, where they dragged Brazil to extra time in the quarter final before losing 4-3. Ismaila Mabo led the team  then.

Under coaches Uche Ucheria and Florence Omagbemi, the Super Falcons flourished in difficult conditions to win the AWCON titles.

On Tuesday, under coach Madugu, another indigenous coach, the team face South Africa for a place in the final. It's time to avenge recent losses to Bayana Bayana. The classical dismissal of Zambia 5-0 in the quarter final on Friday was an indication that the ladies meant business. It was all attack from the blast of the whistle. The Zambians had boasted to hight heavens before the match and had two most lethal strikers in Barbra Banda and Rachael Kundanji, but were rendered toothless on the day,


South African pundits were quaking on their boots while analysing the one sided match that seemed to become an anti climax after the noise from Zambia.


Speaking during the post-match press conference, Ajibade admitted that comments coming out of the Zambian camp ahead of the clash fired up the Nigerian team.

“There was a lot of talk from the Zambia camp and we heard all of it,” she said.

“It was big motivation for us in this game.”

The five-goal rout by Nigeria is the biggest margin of victory recorded so far in this year’s tournament.

South Africa defeated Senegal 4-1 on penalty shoot out after the  quarter final match ended goalless in full and extra time.

Also, hosts Morocco will do battle agaisnt Ghana in the second semi final match later on Tuesday night.


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