WAFCON 2024: Nigeria’s Ihezuo chases Morocco’s Chebbak in golden boot race

Femi Fabunmi

As the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) approaches its grand finale, the spotlight is on the tournament’s top goal scorers who have lit up the competition with impressive performances.

Senegal’s Nguenar Ndiaye and Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak are currently tied at the top of the goal-scoring chart.

Both players have scored four goals each, making them the leading contenders for the Golden Boot award.

Ndiaye may be out of the tournament after Senegal’s exit, but her performance remains one of the standout individual efforts this year.

Chebbak, on the other hand, still has a chance to increase her tally as Morocco prepares to face Nigeria in the final this weekend.

Nigeria booked their place in the final after a thrilling 2-1 win over South Africa in the semi-finals played on Tuesday evening.

The Super Falcons showed their resilience and experience to edge past the Banyana Banyana in a tight contest.

Later that night, Morocco defeated Ghana in dramatic fashion. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout, where the Moroccan side triumphed 4-2 to earn a spot in the final.

Here are the leading scorers at WAFCON 2024 ahead of the final showdown:

4 Goals:

• Ghizlane Chebbak (Morocco)
• Nguenar Ndiaye (Senegal – eliminated)

3 Goals:

• Ibtissam Jraïdi (Morocco)
• Chinwendu Ihezuo (Nigeria)
• Barbra Banda (Zambia)
• Racheal Kundananji (Zambia)

2 Goals:

• Mama Diop (Senegal – eliminated)
• Alice Kusi (Ghana)
• Aissata Traoré (Mali)
• Yasmine Mrabet (Morocco)

With Nigeria’s Chinwendu Ihezuo just one goal behind the leaders, and Morocco’s Chebbak and Jraïdi still in the competition, the race for the Golden Boot is still wide open.

The final not only promises to crown the champions of Africa but could also decide who finishes as the tournament’s top scorer.

Fans across the continent are eagerly awaiting the final, which is expected to deliver high drama, top-class football, and possibly more goals from the competition’s leading stars.