Nigeria’s Super Falcons have booked their place in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a thrilling 2-1 semi-final victory over South Africa’s Banyana Banyana on Tuesday.
The highly anticipated clash, filled with end-to-end action, took place at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Rasheedat Ajibade opened the scoring for Nigeria just before halftime, calmly converting a penalty in the 45th minute after a foul on striker Uchenna Kanu inside the box.
Earlier in the first half, South Africa suffered a blow when forward Hildah Magaia was forced off due to injury in the 26th minute, with Thubelihle Makhubela brought on as her replacement.
Banyana Banyana came back stronger after the break and equalized in the 60th minute through a well-taken penalty by Linda Motlhalo, after a handball incident in the Nigerian area.
As the match appeared to be heading for extra time, the Super Falcons struck late in stoppage time. Michelle Alozie latched onto a clever pass from Esther Okoronkwo to fire home the winner in the 90+4th minute, sending Nigerian fans into wild celebration.
Both sides made several tactical substitutions in the second half, but it was Nigeria who maintained composure and resilience when it mattered most.
With the win, the nine-time champions move one step closer to securing their 10th WAFCON title, further solidifying their dominance in African women’s football.
