Super Falcons fall 1-2 to South Africa in WAFCON opening game

Nigeria’s Super Falcons fell 1-2 to Bayana Bayana of South Africa in the opening Group C game of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The South African ladies dominated the game in the first quarter with the Super Falcons struggling to contain the younger opposition.

Both teams failed to find the breakthrough in a goalless first half at the Moulay Hassan FUS Rabat, Morocco.

South Africa continued to press and duly found the breakthrough in the 60th minute when Seoposenwe shot past Tochukwu Oluehi in goal for Nigeria.

Two minutes later, the South Africans doubled their lead through Magaia H.

Nigeria pressed forward for an equalizer and found one when Atletico Madrid’s Rashidat Ajibade turned home from inside the six-yard box to half the deficit in the 92nd minute.

The Nigerian ladies pulled the ball out from the back of the net to the center circle to save time and attempt a comeback, but it was too late as the Referee’s whistle signaled full time seconds after the restart.

It finished 2-1 in favour of South Africa. In 2018, South Africa defeated Nigeria by a lone goal in the opening game of the same tournament. The Super Falcons bounced back from that loss to reach the final where they defeated South Africa to win the Nations Cup title.

Nigeria will face Burundi and Botswana in the remaining group games knowing that another defeat could be fatal to their title defence in Morrocco.