There is really just one team to beat at Wafcon, and with the absence of Equatorial Guinea, the other only nation to have won the title, will Nigeria be on course for a record-extending tenth crown?
The Equatoguineans denied the West Africans in both 2008 and 2012, but the reigning champions, who won the first five Wafcons, are now eyeing a fourth straight title.
Four-time – and reigning – African Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala recently won Spain’s Pichichi award after 20 league goals for Barcelona and will lead the way alongside veteran defender and captain Onome Ebi, now 38, while familiar names such as Francisca Ordega bolster the squad.
But coach Randy Waldrum, in charge of Africa’s top-ranked side since 2020, has 13 tournament debutants in his squad, with the free-scoring Uchenna Kanu, Poland-based Macleans Chinonyerem, Gotham’s Ifeoma Onumonu and Atletico Madrid’s Rasheedat Ajibade among those to watch.
The American tactician oversaw a 2-0 loss and 2-2 draw against reigning Olympic champions Canada in friendlies back in April.
The Nigerians ensured qualification by seeing off the teams ranked fourth and fifth in Africa, earning a nervy 2-1 aggregate win over Ghana – after overturning a first-ever qualifying loss in the first leg – before defeating Ivory Coast (3-0 agg).
Source link : https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/africa/61981361
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Publish date : 2022-07-01 07:00:00
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