Falcons lose to South Africa in women’s nations cup

This is the first time in 20years that South African women will beat Nigeria.

South Africa women’s team, the Bayana Bayana, Wednesday, ended Nigeria’s dominance over them as they shocked the Super Falcons, 1-0, in the second semi-final match of the Africa Women Championships, AWC,  to earn a berth in the final.

A spirited battle and upbeat second half rally was not good enough for the Nigerian female national team as they went crashing the same way they did when the last AWC was hosted in Equatorial Guinea in 2008.

A stunning high-rising shot by Janine van Wyk from the centre of the pitch put the Bayana Bayana ahead midway through the first half and later proved to be enough for 2010 hosts to book a final ticket.

After taking the lead, it was an uphill task for Nigeria to get back into the match. However, tried as the Nigerian lasses did, South Africa’s defence became too watertight for them to penetrate. The South Africans will now meet the hosts, Equatorial Guinea, in the AWC final on Saturday, a repeat of the 2008 final that was won 2-1 by the hosts.

The Bayana Bayana lost  to Equatorial Guinea, 1-0, in the opening match of this competition, but got stronger as the competition progressed. They will buoyed by their historic victory over a team, Nigeria, they had never beaten in almost 20 years of trying.

In the wake of the shock loss, some Nigerian female soccer lovers have accused the Nigerian Football Federation of appointing Kadiri Ikhana, who never handled a female team in his coaching career to coach the falcons.