Mission accomplished: Five observations from Super Falcons comeback win v Morocco in Wafcon final

Nigeria clinched their tenth Women's Africa Cup of Nations title with a thrilling comeback victory over Morocco in Rabat.

Goals from Esther Okonkwo, Florence Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini sealed the remarkable turnaround for the Super Falcons.

Allnigeriasoccer.com presents five observations from the match.

Morocco exposes Falcons’ defensive flaws

Morocco capitalized on the Super Falcons’ defensive frailties in the first half, repeatedly targeting Ashleigh Plumptre’s flank and exploiting her lack of pace.

The former Leicester City defender was exposed on several occasions, and the hosts’ relentless pressure down her side led directly to both of their open-play goals.

Improved Second half performance

The Super Falcons struggled in the first half as Morocco capitalized on defensive lapses to race into a 2-0 lead, while Nigeria failed to register any meaningful attacking threat.

However, Justin Madugu's side returned with renewed energy and focus after the break, showing grit and resilience to dominate the second half and overturn the deficit in emphatic fashion.

Esther Okoronkwo decisive for Super Falcons

Esther Okoronkwo once again proved decisive for the Super Falcons, playing a pivotal role in Nigeria's dramatic comeback win over Morocco to secure their tenth Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.

Despite trailing by two goals at halftime, Okoronkwo sparked the revival by confidently converting a penalty under intense pressure from the home crowd, pulling one back for Nigeria.

She later turned provider, delivering a precise cross in the closing minutes that Jennifer Echegini headed home to complete the turnaround.

Controversial calls by VAR

VAR played a crucial role in the second half, intervening in two decisive moments.

First, a handball by Morocco’s Benzina in the box went unnoticed until a VAR review prompted the referee to award a penalty, which Okonkwo calmly dispatched.

Later, in a tense final stretch, Morocco were initially awarded a penalty after Oluwatosin Demehin appeared to handle the ball.

But after consulting VAR, the referee overturned the decision, much to the dismay of the home supporters.

Near-capacity crowd witnesses final

One of the longstanding challenges facing women's football in Africa has been low fan turnout at matches.

However, the WAFCON final defied that trend, drawing massive support as thousands of fans packed the stadium, nearly filling it to capacity to witness the thrilling showdown.

Adeyemi Adewale

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