South Africa struck a first psychological blow against defending champions and fellow pre-tournament favourites Nigeria by defeating the Super Falcons 2-1 in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Group C opening match at the Stade Moulay Hassan in Rabat on Monday.
South Africa dominated possession for the entire game but had to wait shortly after the hour mark to make a breakthrough. Jermaine Seoposenwe showed great composure to finish coolly past an onrushing Tochukwu Oluehi in the 61st minute after brilliantly controlling a pass from Noxolo Cesane.
South Africa doubled their lead just two minutes later as excellent interplay saw Refiloe Jane split open Nigeria’s defence with an incisive through pass and Hilda Magaia side-footed a first-time shot into the net.
Rasheedat Ajibade pulled one back for the record nine-time winners in stoppage time latching onto a low cross from Onome Ebi and wrongfooting Banyana Banyana goalkeeper Ayanda Dlamini.
This was South Africa’s second win over Nigeria in the past 10 months, having also defeated their opponents 4-2 in the Aisha Buhari Invitational Cup in Lagos in September last year.
It was also the second straight time the two sides had met in the opening game of the group stage with South Africa emerging victorious by a similar score in 2018 in their Group B match at the last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana in 2018. However, Nigeria went on to beat South Africa 4-3 on penalties in the final.
The day’s other game in the same group saw Refilwe Tholakele score twice as Botswana defeated Burundi 4-2.
Botswana struck immediately in both halves with Keitumetse Dithebe opening the scoring with a long-range curling effort shortly before Lesego Radiakanyo doubled their lead.
Burundi hit back through Sandrine Niyonkuru who stroked the ball into an empty net after Botswana goalkeeper Maitumelo Sedilame Bosija parried the ball into her path.
A quick-fire double from Tholakele in the space of five minutes saw Botswana stretch their lead to 4-1 on the hour mark while Niyonkuru also completed her brace with a consolation strike indie minutes from the end of normal time.
Botswana is joint top of the group level on three points with South Africa while Burundi lies in third and Nigeria is bottom, both with zero points.
(Story compiled with assistance from wire reports)
