African multiple ten times and current champions, The Super Falcons may fly easily over the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in their quarterfinals duel scheduled for the Larbi Zouli Stadium in Casablanca Morocco on Sunday at 7pm Nigerian time within regulation time.
Both countries are old foes that played themselves 15 times where Nigeria won 9 games, Cameroon won 4 and there were 2 draws with Nigeria scoring 20 of the 29 goals scored. There were notable WAFCON meetings: 1998 Nigeria won the highest scores of 6-0; on 27th November 2018 both played goalless but Nigeria won on penalties 4-2; at the quarterfinals of WAFCON 2022 like Sundays match Nigeria piped Cameroon by a lone goal. Will there be WAFCON encore? Both played two friendly matches this year 2026, in February Cameroon won by a lone goal but in March Nigeria chained the Lionesses 3-1.
To get to this stage, Cameroon from Group D beat Mali 2-1; piped Ghana 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Cape Verde at the group stages making 7 points scoring 4 goals and conceding 2.
Nigeria slumped 2-3 to debutante Malawi Scorchers; beat hard fighting Zambians by a Lone Goal and sank Cleopatras of Egypt in the Red Sea of Football 6-2 at the group stages making 6 points scoring 9 goals (highest team score with ousted Zambia in the tournament) but conceded 5 goals. Cover photo is Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal for Nigeria eyeing her 3rd African Goalkeeper of the year award back to back.
Yes Nigeria is high scoring and will blast the Lionesses with goals when current forms are considered as Nigeria made total 25-10 shots at goal compared to Cameroon; 12-7 on target; would hold the ball better with 48.3-45.3% total average ball possessions and would prove to be better ball jugglers with total staggering 788-593 passes that would make them run rings around the Lionesses and intimidate unforced errors to commit corner kicks even with the 12-10 corner kicks on record so far.
Those Crosses from Nigeria’s midfield to Ajibade and main striker may not intimidate Cameroon who had 41-36 Crosses but surely Nigeria will adopt the long passes straight into the penalty box because Cameroonians are more physical with devastating “jam body” that will weaken pacy players like Oshoala and Gift Monday who age is telling on. Nigeria will play hard tackles too as there were 48-37 foul call against Cameroon.
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Oluwatosin Dimehin and Jenny baby Jennifer Echegini will be back so yellow cards will fly because they both know win this match and pack your bags to the world cup finals in Brazil next year. If there is any red card especially for Nigeria they have a better bench that will inflict pains on Cameroon that we expect to roar as in the jungle but Falcons will win the aerial picture way.
The stumbleness of the Falcons, the unity in camp now and the carrot and stick model of motivation of the Director General of the National Sports Commission NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade that increased motivation inducement from $5k to $10k per goal scored for which the Falcons have received $120k for goals scored at group stages may complicate matters for neighbouring Cameroon whose boundaries are just a hand shake across some villages. The Falcons will want to bang in the goals.
Cameroon ranked 71 is at the tournament for the 11th time, never won the title were runners up thrice in 2004, 2014 and 2016. Nigeria ranked 36 has been at all the 14 tournaments and are pursuing their 11th title an unrivalled record in African female football.
Other Quarterfinal pairings are Ivory Coast vs Algeria at 7pm on Saturday and Morocco against South Africa at 10pm also on Saturday while Malawi will tackle Ghana at 10pm on Sunday.
The last Four teams in the semifinal will go to the FIFA female football World Cup in Brazil next year.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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