Nigeria's dominance in the African Women's Championship will be tested on Saturday when they face Ghana in this year's final. The Super Falcons, who have won every edition of the tournament since its inception in 1998, come up against the only side to have ever beaten them on the continent. Despite parading a depleted squad, experienced midfielder Adjoa Bayor led the Black Queens to the top of Group B with victories over Mali, Cameroon and DR Congo.
Although they struggled against South Africa in the semi-final, Florence Okoe converted a penalty in the dying seconds to save their blushes. The 17-year-old has scored four of the seven Black Queens' goals so far. But coach Isaac Paha, a former Ghana international, says they will prove their mettle against the free-scoring Nigerians.
"You must have noticed that we improve with every game and against Nigeria we will not be found wanting," Paha told BBC Sport. "Even though the odds are against us, tactically and technically we can halt the dominance of Nigeria in this championship. Nigeria's reigning African Footballer of the Year Perpetua Nkwocha, who is the tournament's joint top scorer with six goals, says the game will be decided on the field of play.
"Ghana does not pose any threat to us and they should be the ones bothering about what is coming to hit them," Nkwocha, who plays for the Chinese side Tianji Women, told BBC Sport. "Nigeria remains the team to beat and as long as we continue to organise women's football like we do presently, the likes of Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa will only keep dreaming. "On the field of play, we will end their dreams and send them back to Accra empty handed.
" The sides have met three times before in this competition, winning one game apiece and with the third ending in a thrilling 2-2 at the 2000 edition in South Africa. Both sides have finished have already qualified for the Women's World Cup in China next year.
News RSS