Morocco vs Nigeria: Dreaming of One, Chasing 10
The TotalEnergies WAFCON 2024 has reached the business end with hosts Morocco booking their spot in a second consecutive final where they will face nine-time record African champions Nigeria on Saturday, July 26 at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams at the WAFCON with the Atlas Lionesses emerging victorious in their last meeting: a 5-4 win after a tense penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in the semifinals of the WAFCON 2022 in Rabat.
Rookies to serious title contenders
When Morocco embarked on an intentional Women’s Football Strategy five years ago, winning major trophies was part of the plan. And ahead of this weekend’s final, it is not a surprise to any Moroccan that the team is standing up tall against the best teams in Africa.
Prior to the 2022 edition, Morocco had made two appearances at the continent’s biggest showpiece amassing a win and a draw in two editions – in 1998 and 2000 while conceding 22 goals and scoring five. In their third appearance – this time at home in front of their fans, they went to the final but fell to a very well-oiled South African side 1-2.
They are back now – bigger, stronger and ready to fight again and give something to their fans who have filled the Olympic Stadium to the brim every match day in Rabat.
The leadership of captain Ghizlane Chebbak, the individual brilliance and growth of Fatima Tagnaout, Sanaa Mssoudy, Ibtissam Jraidi and Sakina Ouzraoui within the team collective has been a revelation to the Moroccan fans who are now scrambling to buy tickets for the final to witness what could be history – a first WAFCON title. They believe their dreams are valid.
An AFCON title in 1976 for the Atlas Lions is the best Morocco has amassed coupled with a first ever semifinal finish for an African team at a FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 is what the current generation can relate to as success for their football teams on the global scene.
The weight of these dreams is what the Atlas Lionesses believe they can deliver when they come up against a resilient and dominant Nigerian outfit.
Their journey in 2025 has been yet another fairytale – coming from behind twice to hold a strong Zambian side to a 2-2 draw in their opener to seeing off DR Congo 4-2 thanks to a Chebbak hattrick before edging Senegal 1-0 in a tightly contested game to finish top of Group A.
The Atlas Lionesses looked comfortable as they cruised to a convincing 3-1 win against Mali to set up a date with Ghana in the semifinals. The Black Queens tested their resolve on the day, taking the game to extra time and penalties. It took goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi’s magic to deny teenage sensation Comfort Yeboah and an Evelyn Badu miss earlier for the Atlas Lionesses to progress to the coveted final.
In their journey to the final, Morocco have scored an impressive 11 goals while conceding in every match they have played – a total of six goals. Er-Rmichi is yet to keep a clean sheet.
Whatever happens, Morocco have shown once again that they belong to the big stage after years of building a team that is hungry to write history.
Mission X in sight
Social media has been abuzz with talk of a Mission X for the Super Falcons of Nigeria for months now. All stakeholders are locked in on this undertaking. For the players, they have shown that they are the team to beat every time that they have stepped onto the field.
Group B leaders after three games with seven points from a 3-0 win over Tunisia, a 1-0 victory over Botswana and a goalless draw with Algeria. The Super Falcons booked their place in the quarterfinals marking a 13th straight time that they have made it out of the group stages at the WAFCON since the first edition of the continent’s biggest showpiece in 1998.
A convincing 5-0 victory over Zambia in the last eight in what was anticipated to be a tightly contested encounter sent a clear message to any doubters that the Super Falcons are not only the most decorated team on the African continent – female or male but they are also serious title contenders.
At the heart of this campaign, captain Rasheedat Ajibade has proven that pedigree and hunger for more success is what sets Nigeria apart – year in, year out. The 25-year-old, who features for Atletico Madrid in Spain, has earned three Woman of the Match Awards in five games – the only player to achieve this at the current edition. Ajibade, who won her first WAFCON in 2018 at the age of 18, will be key to her team’s search for a 10th continental title to further extend their dominance in Africa.
Nigeria head coach Justin Madugu, however, will also have to rely on the experience of the old guard including the reigning African Goalkeeper of the Year Chiamaka Nnadozie who has only conceded once this edition – a penalty from South Africa’s Linda Motlhalo and the hunger of WAFCON debutants who have impressed so far like Assist Queen Esther Okoronkwo who has amassed four assists in five games.
The Super Falcons have never lost a WAFCON final – nine finals and nine WAFCON titles. To say that this has been impressive over the last 12 editions is an understatement. However, against Morocco on Saturday, they will not only look for their 10th title but will also be motivated to protect their legacy.
