The Super Falcons of Nigeria have advanced to the final of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory against defending champions South Africa on Monday, July 22, 2025.

In a tense semifinal encounter, Nigeria's captain Rasheedat Ajibade opened the scoring from the penalty spot just before halftime, while a dramatic stoppage-time winner sealed the victory for the nine-time African champions.

Early Pressure from Nigeria

The Super Falcons demonstrated their attacking intent early in the match, creating two significant scoring opportunities within the opening 12 minutes. Chiwendu Ihezuo nearly broke the deadlock in the 11th minute after receiving an excellent pass from Ashleigh Plumptre, but South African goalkeeper Andile Dlamini produced a remarkable save to deny the Nigerian striker.

Just a minute later, Esther Okoronkwo's goal-bound effort was also thwarted by the alert Dlamini, keeping the score level despite Nigeria's early dominance.

While South Africa displayed smooth midfield play, they struggled to create meaningful chances against Nigeria's defense, with goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie largely untested during the first half.

Penalty Drama Decides the Match

The breakthrough came in the 44th minute when Nigeria was awarded a penalty after South Africa's Bomgeka Gamede handled the ball inside the box. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick, despite Dlamini getting a hand to the ball.

South Africa found their equalizer on the hour mark when they were also awarded a penalty, which Linda Motlhalo successfully converted to level the score at 1-1.

With the match seemingly headed for extra time, Nigeria's right-back delivered a stunning long-range effort in stoppage time that found the back of the net, sending the Super Falcons into the final with a dramatic 2-1 victory.

Pre-Match Preparations

The highly anticipated clash had generated significant buzz in the days leading up to the match. South Africa's coach Ellis had stated that her team didn't need any extra motivation to face Nigeria, while Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Dlamini had expressed confidence in their ability to defeat the Super Falcons.

On the Nigerian side, captain Ajibade had fired a warning to South Africa before the match, describing it as one of the games "we want to play," highlighting the rivalry between the two footballing powerhouses.

The victory puts Nigeria one step closer to securing their 10th WAFCON title, further cementing their status as the most successful team in the competition's history.

Stay connected with BenriNews for more updates on the Super Falcons' journey in the WAFCON 2024 tournament.

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