WAFCON 2022: Nigeria, South Africa secure qualifications to the World Cup after reaching semifinals
Nigeria kept up their sequence of having qualified for every Women’s World Cup as they edged Cameroon 1-0 at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca on Thursday.
Rasheedat Ajibade’s 56th-minute header handed the Super Falcons a narrow victory in their quarterfinal at the tournament in Morocco.
The top four finishers at Wafcon qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, turning each of the last eight ties into a veritable final.
The result means Cameroon must play in a repechage match on Sunday to try and qualify for the World Cup playoff tournament in New Zealand, where two more African sides will have a chance to qualify for the finals down under next June.
Cameroon have been to the last two World Cups but more than met their match in the reigning African champions in a battle between the continent’s top two ranked women’s teams.
Ajibade’s goal came after a storming run from Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and a cross by Ifeoa Onumonu, that found the blue-haired winger at the back post. Ajibade’s effort came in off the post in the only on-target effort of the game.
There was little to choose between the two sides, who provided for by far the most physical clash yet seen at the tournament.
Nigeria now meet Morocco in next week’s semifinal while Cameroon must play Botswana in the playoffs for fifth to eighth place.
Jermaine Seoposenwe scored early to set Banyana Banyana on their way to a second successive Women’s World Cup as they edged Tunisia 1-0 in Rabat on Thursday, but they made it hard for themselves with a wasteful display.
Victory in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco means South Africa are guaranteed a top four finish at the continental championship, which serves as qualifying competition for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
South Africa will face off against Zambia next week with a place in the finals up for grabs.
Morocco, Nigeria and Zambia are the other countries who will also be heading to the World Cup in July next year.
