By V. Enyinnaya and F. Ekechukwu on July 20, 2022

It is no longer news that Super Falcons gallantrily bowed out at the epic semi-final tie in the ongoing Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) holding in North African country of Morocco against host country, the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco.

It was a grand match that saw the defending champions, Super Falcons given great good account of herself. The team’s spirited play was instructive. The Nigerians did not give anything for chance little wonder therefore the team held their own despite playing two players down due to red card against Morocco’s Lionesses playing in home ground and also against over 45,000 strong vocal and partisan crowd.

It was a game the Super Falcons showed capacity, commitment, focus, experience and doggedness of a champion. The girls held tightly playing with 9 players, reinforced threats and exhibited confidence which held the host team hostage up to one hour. The desperate host team that has never reached that stage in African Women football was all over bombarding the Nigerians from all cylinders but to no avail until regulation and extra time.

Super Falcons defence line was as resolute as ever and unperturbed even at the extra time when the heat from the Moroccans became intensive, Super Falcons stood on like rock of Gibraltar. It is instructive to note here that occasional out breaks by the Nigerian side was always met with electrifying panic among the Moroccan bench and their fellow conspirators alike.

It was one game that brought out the best of Super Falcons, in short the stuff a champion is made of.

If not for the unfortunate two red cards in a tensed match of that magnitude where matured officiating ought to be the order of the day but the centre referee threw all these to the dogs and ensured he accomplished his hatchet man’s job of Nigeria must be stopped at this stage, two key players were sent out which weakened and altered match plan of the team.

If not for the superior skills of the team and depth tactical discipline applied by the technical bench which ensured the team held on firmly until that penalty shoot out.

Nigerians and indeed other objective observers, pundits and analysts who follow women football religiously have thumbed up Super Falcons resistance measure despite being down with two of their outstanding players who were suspended via red card. They further described the performance of our girls as classic and champions instincts inherent in them.  Consequently, they commended the team and her technical crew for their brilliance and sportsmanship. It was posited that women football has grown and still developing in the continent insisting in unionism that Super Falcons team is still a force to be reckoned with in the continent.

According to them, it was great and gladdens the heart to note that Super Falcons would be in the next World Cup football summit.

Nigerian fans were not left out in pouring encomiums on the strength of the team against all odds. Some of the fans further alleged that the referee acted like an undertaker strictly on instruction of mission from the organizers of the tournament that host country must carry the day by ensuring Nigeria is stopped from going further in the championship.   

Super Falcons will face Zambia in third place game on Friday, July 22 to determine who gets the third spot.

Source Daily Sports Nigeria

Posted July 20, 2022

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