…MATCH NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FANS WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
An expected classic football match between Africa’s nine times Champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria and the Challengers, Copper Queens of Zambia in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s’ African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco scheduled for Friday in Casablanca may be the tournament’s first match to end by sudden death, a terminology in football called penalty shootouts
If peradventure this prediction comes to be, it will be a sweet revenge for Nigeria and a good poise to snatch her 10th title because the Falcons have an array of individual players who one on one with the goalkeeper can tear the net like legendary Teslim Thunder Balogun of blessed memory.
To get into the quarterfinals, Zambia had played 2-2 draw with Morocco; beat former champions Senegal 3-2 and narrowly beaten DR Cong by a lone goal placing 2nd in group A with 7 points scoring 6 goals and conceding 4 goals.
Nigeria obviously the favorite to win the tournament did not have an excellent performance though she silence Tunisia 3-0 in her opening match;beat Botswana that parked the Bus and took the key to the dressing room by a lucky goal and goalless with Algeria that attempted a higher level of frustrating the Nigerians. Nigeria and Algeria have clean slates in the tournament as they are yet to conced a goal, Nigeria topped group B with 7 points and scored 4 goals.
Nigeria and Zambia met thrice allin WAFCON encounters with Nigeria scoring 6 goals on 14th October 2014 and allowing Zambia score 3 goals at the 2nd half to make 6-3; cleared the Zambians 4-0 on 21st November 2018 but the tournament semifinal meeting of 22nd July 2022 at Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca where Vicentia Amedoma of Togo was the Ref ended in a disaster for Nigeria as Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie gave out an own goal at the 29th minute of play.
Zambia ranked 65 in the world, went to the world cup once in 2023 and lost at group stages. She appeared 4 times at WAFCON making the quarters in 1995 but lost at group stages in 2014 and 2018 before the 2022 feat
Nigeria won the title an astonishing 9 times of which no African team has gone near. The wins were in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 (five consecutive times); 2010, 2014 2016 and 2018. Nigeria reached semifinal in all their 12 previous appearances finishing 3rd in 2001 and placed 4th in 2012 and 2022.
In this tournament, Nigeria has an impregnable defence that has not allowed in a goal in three matches with Africa’s best Goalkeeper and expert in stopping penalties, Chaimaka Nnadozie in goal; she has a wonderful midfield and a rattle snake like dangerous attack with venoms that can send opponents to deep sleep but the goals are not coming like it is happening to the Super Eagles. Is Nigeria under a jinx?
Zambia has 4 yellow cards and Nigeria 3 meaning the two teams are rough and we need to pray that Nigeria’s aggressive defenders who tackle like Green Eagles and Stationery Stores of Lagos Defender, Segun Olumodeji (Olumo Rocks) who showed Pele of Brazil pepper at Onikan Stadium formerly King George V stadium, pray the Falcons do not see red.
Zambia has two lethal forwards in Banda and Rachael who both banged in 6 goals in this tournament but Nigeria’s coach, Justin Madu has assured that both players will be neatly pocketed and turned to passengers on the pitch. If the match goes into penalties, be assured Zambia will score two goals at least.
Nigeria has Chiamaka who has won laurels on foreign lands in goal and will be more careful this time around; there are Ashleigh Plumtee the hard tackling defender called Oyinbo because shes light skinned half cast; Captain Ajibade who made Group Stage X1 with her will marshal the midfield spraying passes like rain in combination with free scoring Okonkwo and Onimanu. Africa’s best leg may do a terrible wreckage as a super sub.
From experience the Zambia versus Nigeria may be a tense match not recommended for persons with high blood pressure to watch especially Nigerians. Wives may do well to adopt the style of late former President Muhammadu Buhari in enticing their husbands with HBP to the ‘Oza room’ to avoid becoming widows. The match will be tough, rough and full of missed opportunities.
Another quarterfinal match will be played that Friday at 8pm after the 5pm Nigeria vs Zambia match as hosts Morocco will trade tackles in soccer hostilities against the Female Eagles of Mali.
Morocco looks good to beat Mali in regular time as Mali beat Zambia by a lone goal; played 1-1 with the Black Queens of Ghana and were butchered 4-0 by South Africa yet qualified a best lucky loser. Mali scored 2 goals and conceded 4.
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Mali ranked 78 in the world has no world cup appearance, been to WAFCON 7 times with best 4th place performance in 2018 and 6 loses at group stages. That 2018, Mali lost 0-2 to Ghana in the semifinal and 2-4 to Cameroon in the Losers Match.
The Atlas Lioness of Morocco ranked 60 went to the world cup only once in 2023 and was dropped in the Round of 16 encounters. They were 4 time at WAFCON losing at group stages in 1998 and 2000 but won the Silver in 2022.
On Saturday, Algeria will play against Ghana and South Africa will test their might against Senegal in anther expected classical match.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
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