The African Women's Cup Of Nations is ongoing in Ghana, and of course a lot of thrilling actions have gone down already. I understand the low audience that women football attracts generally, so am not surprised that am yet to see sports bloggers give these female tournaments the cold shoulder. I have been trying in my little way to keep sports readers abreast with the events as regards the tournament, especially during the qualifying rounds analysis. If you're interested, you can go through this post African Women's Nations Cup In View.
Some games have been played already, however, the match that seem to have caught my attention was the Nigeria v South African game that was played on Sunday. Though I wouldn't say I felt bad about the outcome of the match, in fact I was ambivalent towards the game when the referee blasted the final whistle. However, as a Nigerian, I still harbour the patriotic urge to deflate my bitterness as regards the appalling performance of the Nigerian Super falcons.
My ambivalence towards the game stems from the need for a competitive tournament. Nigeria's dominance of African women football for more than a decade now makes it all boring and predictable, so I was cool to see a team strike them below the belt in their opening game, to drive home a Message that it's not gonna be business as usual.
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Nigeria have proven to be a driving force in African women's football, and overtime, it appeared that no team can withstand their flames. Having won 10 out of the 12 editions of the tournament that started in 2000, it was a great sight to watch them beaten by the south African side to light up the tournament. That opening match loss to the Bayana Bayana of South Africa will spur other teams on, and motivate other countries to stand their ground and break the jinx of this mutual enemy. Come on, I really do need the Falcons to feel the heat of the tournament even though am a Nigerian.
I love the fanfare that comes with competitive games and I wouldn't like any team to win this African women's Cup Of Nations as a birthright. So far so good, am delighted by the morale of the ladies in the tournament to lift the trophy, they have shown that they did not just qualify for the fun of it, they really wanna brand their names in gold. Nigeria just have to watch their back, because no one cares about their past glory in this tournament.
The Super Falcons loss to the motivated South African side is clear signal that no team is ready to play second fiddle this time, and underrating any of teams will cost them their points. The days of the rollercoaster ride on the African women's football soil is over, and it's only a matter of time before these vindictive teams edge out their most continental threat in women's football, and that's Nigeria. After the Sunday games, the Zambian Woman of the match Rachel Kundanaji did not mince words in her post match press conference.
“Nigeria, here we come, just like a wounded buffalo,” she said. “This time we have come for something...this is not the old Zambia, this is the new Zambia.”
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South Africa Clips The Falcon's Wing, Is The Reign Over?
The 10 times Champions of the prestigious African women's Nations Cup got more than they bargained, after the Bayana Bayana of south Africa waited till the last moments of the game to draw the first blood. Indeed, they came with a well mapped out plan for Nigeria, knowing it's gonna be a tasking adventure for the tournament favorites to react to the goal at that time.
The South African side could predict the Falcons and it sure worked for them. They knew how complacent the Nigerian side will be, they knew the Nigerian side will be inflated by the ego of their past glory, and they tactfully took advantage of it. They was no sign that the Nigerian side were hungry for more success in that game, or maybe they taught they will wake up to victory as usual.
Well, it may be their opening game and of course a lot of chances to bounce back into the tournament, but how sure are we that other teams won't get boosted by the win of south Africa, as it will go a long way to water down the dreadful cloak of the Falcons. Not so many are surprised why Nigeria is the outright favorites to lift the trophy in the ongoing Africa Women's Nations Cup in Ghana.
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This can always be traced to the glaring fact that they have won all but two of the previous 12 editions, making them the most dangerous team to play. However, their quest to grab their 11th crown seems to have started on a sour note, as they got beaten 1-0 by South Africa in their opening group B game that took place at the Cape Coast Stadium on Sunday. Can't really figure out what exactly was the issue with the Falcons, but I do know that Thomas Dennerby's ladies have themselves to blame for their abysmal performance. It came as really big surprise, because it's the first time the Falcons are losing their opening game in the Tournament, where did they keep their motivation?
Though at the beginning of the game, Nigeria started brightly and painted the atmosphere with their Normal aura of dominance, as they kept possession of the ball, but their profligacy saw them firing aimlessly into the vacuum. Asisat Oshoala appeared to have been the Falcon's shinning star on the pitch against South Africa, as the opponent defense had to do extra work to keep the vigorous and pact striker on check. She had some glaring opportunities to find the back of the net, but it seems she didn't wanna appear selfish, so she kept passing it to her teammates who took pleasure in wasting the chances.
The first half of the game ended without a goal, but seemed all was going according the plan of Bayana Bayana, as they waited till the evening of the game to send the Falcon's net dancing. The came back into the second half and mounted pressure on the Nigerian side, and of course their hard work paid of with 5 minutes to the stoppage time. A thundering volley from a substitute Thembi Kgalana was all South Africa needed to grab their 3 points. For me, the winners of the game were more purpose driven with the ball, as some of their build ups took a strong Nigerian defense to stop them.
The Nigerian side will be expected to respond positively in their subsequent group games against Zambia and Equatorial Guinea, if not, then the tournament favorites might be on their way out of the tournament. With Zambia already breathing fire after humiliating Equatorial Guinea in their opening game, no one knows what we are to expect in these subsequent clashes. But I can comfortably tell you it's not gonna be easy for the Nigerian side.
Do You see them finding their path back into the tournament and unleashing their venom As Usual?
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