Who Will Lift The WAFCON Trophy On Sunday? Malawi or Cameroon?
…Morocco Stands Bye to Hang The Bronze Medal on Saturday.
Twenty eight years after The Super Falcons dominated African women’s football winning ten of the 14 tournaments within the time frame, Afrca will see a new champion which is not any of the three countries that ever won the title. Equatorial Guinea (twice) and South Africa (once) were the countries that ever won the title.
Come Sunday 16th August fast popular country with supersonic shock waves, debutante Scorchers of Malawi for that matter, liquid and gaseous will try to flame out the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon who are reaching the finals for the first time and that soccer hostilities will be at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Rabat Morocco at 8pm.
As the curtains on the 14th tournament is being drawn, 30 matches have been played with 85 goals scored. Three players with 5 goals each are struggling to get the Golden Boot for Highest scorer namely Ines Konan of Ivory Coast, Temwa Chawinga of Malawi and Barbra Banda of Zambia but these players with 4 goals each, Thembi Kgatlana of Ivory Coast and especially Tabitha Chawinga who will feature in the finals have advantage too.
As we await Sunday, six countries are sure they will fly their flags at the world cup finals in Brazil next year namely Malawi, Cameroon, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa and Ghana. Perpetual Nigeria’s Super Falcons will be absentees from Africa as South Africa edged them out 2-1 and Ghana beat Ivory Coast. South Africa and Ghana are still on probation list as their being in Brazil depends on whether they win the inter Confederation Playoffs before them.
You cannot lay down on your sofa and give the title to either debutante Malawi or Cameroon. Cameroon has a good defence that conceded only 2 goals and scored 5 so far but Malawi that conceded 7 goals and has the highest team score of 12 goals in the tournament is as dangerous as a rattle snake as they shocked great teams including mega champs Super Falcons of Nigeria.
Malawi shocked Nigeria 3-2, shocked Egypt 3-1, lost to neighbours Zambia who knew them like the back of their hands 1-2, shocked Ghana 2-1 at the quarterfinals and shocked Algeria 3-1 at the semifinal and the fear is they are likely to shock three more groups namely Cameroon, CAF and FIFA. A Warri man of Nigeria said “dem bi small pikin wey dey slap dem grandpa pocket hand dey dance Sheh Sheh Kule”.
Cameroon unbelievably ousted hosts Morocco that does not agree to being beaten especially by any African country at national or club level or any age group whether male or female 3-0 on penalty shootouts. Cameroonian Goalkeeper Bihima Michaely is now tagged the witch that dwells among the upright posts for saving 4 penalty kicks in one match against Morocco. Cameroon conceded 2 goals and scored 5. Defeated Morocco 3-1 on penalties after 0-0 at full time, beat Nigeria 1-0 at the quarterfinals, played 1-1 with Cape Verde, beat Ghana 1-0 and beat Mali 2-1 meaning they are teachers that beat.
Cameroon ranked 71 with three Silver Medals in 2004, 2014 and 2016 looks better than Debutante Malawi ranked 153. They have no record of any meeting before now.
Morocco looks good to get the Bronze on Saturday at 6pm as the only goal they conceded was scored by South Africa in their 2-1 Win at the quarterfinals. Morocco scored 7 goals like Algeria that conceded 5 goals. That means Moroccan defence will be impenetrable for Algeria. They met 4 times and Morocco won twice with Algeria winning once. They met in group A at this tournament and Morocco won by a lone goal. Algeria ousted Morocco at the WAFCON 2014 qualifier winning 2-0 at the first leg and goalless at the 2nd leg.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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