Nigeria staged an extraordinary second-half comeback to defeat host nation Morocco 3-2 on Saturday night, capturing their 10th TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title at the Stade Olympique.
Trailing 2-0 at halftime before a raucous home crowd, the Super Falcons displayed their trademark resilience and composure. Second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and a late winner from Joe Echegini overturned Morocco’s early advantage and reaffirmed Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s football.
The Atlas Lionesses had hoped to secure their first continental championship on home soil, and the match began brightly for the hosts. Ghizlane Chebbak opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a curling effort from outside the box that beat Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
Morocco doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Sanaâ Mssoudy latched onto a pass from Ibtissam Jraidi and calmly finished into the bottom corner.
Stunned, Nigeria entered the break facing a two-goal deficit. But head coach Justin Madugu’s halftime talk inspired a turnaround.
In the 61st minute, a VAR review led to a penalty after Nouhaila Benzina was judged to have handled the ball. Okoronkwo converted from the spot to reduce the deficit.
Nigeria equalized in the 71st minute as Okoronkwo turned provider, setting up Ijamilusi for a low left-footed strike into the far corner.
With extra time looming, Echegini delivered the decisive blow in the 88th minute. A well-rehearsed set piece saw Okoronkwo deliver an assist, and Echegini calmly finished to give Nigeria a 3-2 lead.
Despite a late surge from Morocco, the Super Falcons held firm through stoppage time.
It was a disappointing end for Jorge Vilda’s Moroccan side, who had impressed throughout the tournament and were aiming to become only the fourth nation to win the WAFCON title, following Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
Nigeria’s victory not only extended their record to 10 WAFCON titles in 13 editions but also served as a reminder of their unmatched legacy in African women’s football.
