Nigeria beat Morocco to claim WAFCON title and complete Mission X

Nigeria assertion their tenth WAFCON title, ‘Mission X’, arsenic they travel from down to bushed Morocco 3-2 successful Rabat.

Substitute Jennifer Echegini scored the 88th-minute victor arsenic Nigeria came from 2 goals down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 successful a melodramatic Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.

The triumph successful Rabat connected Saturday confirmed the West Africans arsenic the queens of women’s shot successful Africa arsenic they pulled disconnected a record-extending 10th rubric successful 13 editions – “Mission X”, arsenic they dubbed their efforts – to triumph the 2025 edition.

It was the 2nd successive last nonaccomplishment for Morocco, who led by 2 goals aft 24 minutes, lone to concede 3 successful the 2nd half.

Esther Okoronkwo played a cardinal relation successful the Super Falcons’ victory: scoring the archetypal goal, creating the 2nd and delivering the free-kick that Echegini finished to stun the location crowd.

Morocco, backed by a vibrant capableness assemblage astatine the 21,000-seat Stade Olympique successful the capital, took the pb connected 12 minutes arsenic Nigeria conceded for the archetypal clip successful unfastened play astatine the tournament.

Nigeria fluffed respective chances to wide the ball, and it fell conscionable extracurricular the country to Chebbak, whose perfectly placed, rising changeable gave goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie nary chance.

Nigeria’s goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie fails to prevention a changeable during the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations last [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP]

The pb doubled 12 minutes aboriginal arsenic the shot flew crossed the Nigerian goalmouth to Sanaa Mssoudy, who ended a five-match extremity drought by steering a debased changeable into the acold country of the net.

Nigeria had much possession successful the opening fractional than the big nation, but managed lone 1 changeable connected target, and it did not occupation goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi.

But the Moroccan pb halved aft 64 minutes arsenic Okoronkwo sent Er-Rmichi the incorrect mode from a punishment aft a VAR reappraisal showed a Folashade Ijamilusi transverse striking Nouhaila Benzina’s hand.

The extremity lifted the spirits of progressively assertive Nigeria, and they equalised 7 minutes later, erstwhile Okoronkwo turned creator with a pull-back that Ijamilusi pushed into the nett from adjacent range.

CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA FOR THE 10TH TIME! 🏆🇳🇬

Tell your neighbors, archer the satellite — the Super Falcons reign ultimate again!#MissionX #SoarSuperFalcons #WAFCON2024 #Champions #MORNGA pic.twitter.com/tiUQZleMEy

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 26, 2025

On Friday, Ghana finished third, winning a punishment shootout 4-3 against outgoing champions South Africa aft a 1-1 playoff gully successful regular clip successful Casablanca.

After 2 weakly struck spot kicks successful a enactment by South Africa were saved to springiness Ghana the advantage, 19-year-old Nancy Amoh converted the decisive punishment with a debased changeable into the country of the net.

A blunder by Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan talented South Africa the pb connected 45 minutes arsenic she mislaid power of the shot conscionable extracurricular the box, and Nonhlanhla Mthandi struck it into the net.

Persistent Ghanaian unit yet paid disconnected connected 68 minutes erstwhile an Alice Kusi header came disconnected the crossbar and long-serving South Africa shot-stopper Andile Dlamini conceded an ain goal.

Victory was peculiarly saccharine for the Black Queens arsenic they were outplayed erstwhile losing 2-0 to Banyana Banyana (The Girls) successful the radical stage.

Ghana person won the 4 third-place playoffs they qualified for, portion South Africa person mislaid 4 of 5 bronze medal matches.

The adjacent Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for March 2026, besides successful Morocco, and volition treble arsenic a qualifying contention for the 2027 Women’s World Cup successful Brazil.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies