D-3 to the Women’s AFCON: 1998, the Super Falcons’ Unbeaten Run
The countdown continues to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2024. As we gear up for the 13th edition of the tournament, CAFOnline.com looks back each day at a defining moment in its history. With just three days to go, we revisit one of the rarest and most impressive feats: Nigeria’s flawless 1998 triumph—without conceding a single goal.
Only 3 days remain before the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2024 kicks off.
Hosted in Nigeria, the fourth edition of the Women’s AFCON remains one of the most one-sided in the tournament’s history. The Super Falcons, led by iconic figures such as Florence Omagbemi, Nkiru Okosieme and Ann Chiejine, asserted their dominance from start to finish.
Nigeria opened the tournament with a resounding 8-0 win over Morocco, followed by another commanding 6-0 victory against DR Congo, and a similar 6-0 scoreline against Egypt. Three matches, twenty goals scored, none conceded. The statement continued in the semi-finals with a 6-0 win over Cameroon, before Nigeria wrapped up their campaign with a composed 2-0 triumph over Ghana in the final.
“We were on a mission. Playing at home came with pressure, but also motivation. We wanted to show that no one could match us on the continent,” Florence Omagbemi later told the BBC.
Nigeria secured their fourth consecutive title in as many editions. But it was the how that stood out: five matches, zero goals conceded. A rare defensive solidity, paired with an unstoppable attacking force, cemented that squad’s place among the most dominant in the history of the Women’s AFCON.
The 1998 tournament also reinforced Nigeria’s football identity: fast, powerful play, built around a tight-knit unit and individual talents capable of changing a match in a flash. It paved the way for future generations ready to carry on the legacy of the trailblazers.
With three days to go until the 2024 edition kicks off in Morocco, this memory is a reminder of the demands of elite performance—and of a legacy built on consistency, discipline, and ambition. The Super Falcons remain the benchmark on the continent, but the competition is growing. The stage is nearly set.