* After clinching their 10th WAfCON crown by defeating hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final on Saturday night
* Nigeria’s Justin Madugu as the tournament’s Coach of the Tournament following his team’s successful title run — along with a strong list of substitutes
* That includes Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, Senegal’s Nguenar Ndiaye, Algeria’s Chloe Yamina N’Gazi, and Nigeria’s Osinachi Ohale and Jennifer Echegini
Maravi Express
CAF’s technical study group has selected the Best XI of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) 2024 in which Nigeria’s dominance at the the tournament has been further underlined after four of their players were named in the squad.
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The 11-player team, arranged in a 4-3-3 formation, features standout performers from across the continent following a fiercely competitive edition of the tournament co-hosted by Morocco and Ghana.
The Super Falcons, who defeated hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final on Saturday night to clinch their 10th WAfCON crown, contributed the highest number of players to the elite line-up — starting in goals, Chiamaka Ndozie, earned her place following a series of commanding displays, while dynamic full-back Michelle Alozie, influential forward Esther Okoronkwo, and tournament top scorer Rasheedat Ajibade — named player of the Tournament — also made the cut.
Joining them is Moroccan captain Ghizlane Chebbak, whose creative influence helped guide the hosts to a second consecutive final. Fellow Moroccan and top striker Ibtissam Jraidi also featured prominently in the line-up.
Ghana’s Portia Boakye and Grace Asantewaa were rewarded for their leadership and consistency despite the Black Queens falling just short of the final, while South Africa’s Karabo Dlamini, Refiloe Jane and Bambanani Mbane were also included after leading Banyana Banyana to a semi-final finish.
The CAF technical study group named Nigeria’s Justin Madugu as the tournament’s Coach of the Tournament following his team’s successful title run — along with a strong list of substitutes that includes Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, Senegal’s Nguenar Ndiaye, Algeria’s Chloe Yamina N’Gazi, and Nigeria’s Osinachi Ohale and Jennifer Echegini.
The 2024 tournament saw a rise in attacking play, with 66 goals scored across 26 matches — an average of 2.54 goals per game, an improvement from the 2.25 average in 2022.
The 4-3-3 formation emerged as the most used tactical shape throughout the tournament.
In the final on Saturday night, Nigeria staged an extraordinary second-half comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 and lift their 10th WAfCON crown at the Stade Olympique in Rabat.
Trailing 2-0 at half-time in front of a partisan Moroccan crowd, the Super Falcons showed their pedigree and resilience, clawing their way back into the match with a display of clinical finishing and sheer determination to cement their status as queens of African football.
Goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and a late winner by Joe Echegini overturned Morocco’s strong first-half lead, stunning the Atlas Lionesses who were hoping to clinch their first-ever continental title on home soil.
The final had all the ingredients of a classic — a host nation looking to crown a golden generation with history, and Africa’s most successful women’s side eager to reaffirm their dominance.
Morocco got off to a dream start. With just 12 minutes on the clock, captain Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring with a brilliant strike from outside the box, curling the ball low past Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
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The home crowd erupted, sensing history in the making and things got even better for the Atlas Lionesses in the 24th minute when Sanaâ Mssoudy doubled Morocco’s lead.
A slick pass from Ibtissam Jraidi found Mssoudy in space, and the forward made no mistake with a composed finish into the bottom right corner.
Nigeria appeared stunned and went into the break trailing by two goals, facing an uphill battle. But coach Justin Madugu’s half-time talk sparked a spirited response from the Super Falcons.
The comeback began just after the hour mark when a VAR review handed Nigeria a lifeline. A handball by Nouhaila Benzina resulted in a penalty, which was coolly dispatched by Okoronkwo to make it 2-1.
From that moment, momentum swung Nigeria’s way. In the 71st minute, Okoronkwo turned provider, slipping a neat ball into the path of Ijamilusi, who drilled a left-footed effort into the bottom corner to bring Nigeria level.
With the match heading towards extra time, Nigeria found the winner. A well-worked set-piece situation saw Esther Okoronkwo once again involved, delivering a clever assist to Joe Echegini, who calmly slotted home in the 88th minute to seal a dramatic turnaround.
Despite late pressure and a flurry of Moroccan attacks, the Super Falcons held firm through a tense final few minutes of stoppage time.
It was a heartbreaking end for Jorge Vilda’s Morocco side, who had impressed throughout the tournament and were bidding to become only the 4th nation ever to lift the WAfCON trophy after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
But the night belonged to the Super Falcons, whose experience, depth and never-say-die spirit propelled them to yet another African title — their 10th in 13 editions.
Nigeria’s triumph not only extended their unmatched legacy on the continent but also served as a resounding statement that, even in the face of rising challengers, they remain the team to beat in African women’s football.
For Rasheedat Ajibade to earn the WAfCON 2024 Player of the Tournament, it was for being captain fantastic in every aspect, as the 25-year-old was instrumental in inspiring the Super Falcons to a historic achievement.
Magical even. From the opening whistle to the final game, she stood tall even when the odds looked like they were against her. Just like the leader that she is, she displayed her relentlessness and embraced the moment and never looked back.
When she was invited to the photoshoot with the new WAfCON trophy prior to the start of the tournament at the iconic Hassan II Tower, she looked at it and promised herself that Nigeria would lift this beautiful crown.
It is that will to gather her troops every time that they walked onto the field that led her to this moment – the moment where Nigeria once again, conquered Africa.
Vocal on and off the field, Ajibade has shown her quality every time that she has stepped onto the field of play. The blue-haired girl from Lagos poured her heart into this campaign, often seen urging her teammates to stay locked in even if it helps that they are already motivated.
When her team needed a spark, she lit it. In whatever role she was assigned, she scanned for spaces occasionally, made passes in the tighest of angles and kept Nigeria’s opponents guessing. She exploited the athleticism of her team in ways that came face-to-face with the weaknesses of their opponents and with that, she dictated the tempo of each game.
She earned three Woman of the Match Awards against Botswana, Zambia and South Africa while finding the back of the net once – a penalty against South Africa’s Andile Dlamini who was yet to score until that point.
This is the second time that Ajibade is being awarded at the WAfCON after she walked away with the joint Top Scorer Award at the 2022 edition – tied with Ghizlane Chebbak of Morocco and South Africa’s Hildah Magaia.
For Ajibade, two WAfCON titles in the bag and a silver medal on top of the individual awards, this is the stuff of dreams. As she received her award inside the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, emotional after this achievement, she appreciated the recognition.—Content by CAFonline; edited by Maravi Express
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