Players of Nigeria celebrating with the trophy
Nigeria pulled off a sensational second-half comeback to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 and claim their 10th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title on Saturday night in Rabat.
Trailing 2-0 at the break, the Super Falcons showed their trademark resilience and quality, with goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and a late winner from Joe Echegini turning the game on its head at the Stade Olympique.
Morocco had raced into an early lead through Ghizlane Chebbak’s fine strike in the 12th minute before Sanaâ Mssoudy doubled the advantage with a composed finish after a slick pass from Ibtissam Jraidi.
But Nigeria fought back after the hour mark when a VAR review handed them a penalty, converted by Okoronkwo. She then set up Ijamilusi for the equaliser in the 71st minute.
With the game heading for extra time, Echegini struck in the 88th minute from a well-executed set-piece, sealing a memorable comeback.
Despite Morocco’s late push, Nigeria held on for a famous win, reaffirming their dominance in African women’s football and denying the Atlas Lionesses a first-ever title on home soil.
Meanwhile, watch as football fans question FIFA’s move to scrap penalty rebound rule
