7th November, 2012
BIMBO AJAYI
African champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria today lost 1-0 to hard fighting South African female team, the Banyana Banyana at the ongoing African Women’s Championship, AWC in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.
The Banyana Banyana had never beaten the Super Falcons in almost 20 years of trying, but they finally made history as they created an upset by beating the Nigerian side to book a place in the final of the tournament.
The South Africans, who earlier vowed to edge out the African champions prior to the tension-soaked match, scored the lone goal in the 23rd minute of the first half, as Janine van Wyk fired a thunderous shot that caught the Nigerian goalkeeper/skipper, Precious Dede, napping.
In a desperate bid to secure an equaliser, the Nigerian coach, Kadiri Ikhana made his first substitution in the 32nd minute as Ebere Orji, an attacker was brought in to replace Ogonna Chukwudi, a midfielder.
However, all efforts made by the Falcons to get the much-needed equaliser in the first half of the game met a stiff resistance from the determined Banyana Banyana defenders, who played a more purposeful game.
The match ended with the South Africans smiling to the final, while the defending champions, Falcons left the stadium with tight faces.
South Africa will now meet hosts Equatorial Guinea in the final on Saturday, a repeat of the 2008 tournament decider that was won 2-1 by the latter.
Banyana also lost to Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in the opening match of this competition, but have got stronger as the competition progressed.
Nigeria will now face Cameroon in the third place match to be sure of winning any medal in this year’s AWC.