Nigeria’s Female National team, the Super Falcons delivered a landmark performance on Saturday night, away from home in Rabat, completing a dream comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 and charting away a 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title
Playing at the packed Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, the Falcons overcame a two-goal deficit in a thrilling final that will go down as one of the most memorable in the tournament’s history.
The victory capped off Nigeria’s “Mission X” campaign, a symbolic reference to their pursuit of a 10th continental crown.
Morocco made a remarkable start, delighting the home crowd when Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring in the 8th minute. The hosts doubled their lead midway through the first half via Sanaâ Mssoudy, taking a commanding 2-0 lead into the break. However, Nigeria responded with grit and class in the second half.
Tactical adjustments from head coach Justin Madugu, including the introduction of Rinsola Babajide and Jennifer Echegini, turned the tide in Nigeria’s favour.
Esther Okoronkwo began the comeback from the penalty spot after a Moroccan handled the ball in the 18 yard box.
Forward Opeyemi Ijamilusi then equalised with a well-taken finish, restoring belief within the Nigerian ranks.
With the match poised at 2-2, it was Echegini who delivered the final nail, slotting home the winner to silence the home crowd and wrote her name into Super Falcons folklore.
For their triumph, the Super Falcons were rewarded with $1 million (over ₦1.5 billion), as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced a 100% increase in prize money for the tournament winner.
The total prize pool for the 2024 edition of WAFCON was also raised by 45%, reflecting CAF’s growing investment in women’s football across the continent.
Meanwhile, CAF instructed that the Nigeria Football Federation give 30 percent of the money to the players.
CAF WAFCON 2024 Prize Money Breakdown:
Winner: $1,000,000
Runner-Up: $500,000
Third Place: $350,000
Fourth Place: $300,000
Quarter-Finalists (4 Teams): $200,000 each
Third in Group: $150,000
Fourth in Group (3 Teams): $125,000 each.
Nigeria’s historic win adds to their dominance in African women’s football against the odds