AWCON 2016: Falcons rule Africa record 8th time ·Omagbemi sets new record

IT was a hard fought victory for the Super Falcons as Nigeria, on Saturday, won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the eighth time.

The Super Falcons defeated the Lionesses of Cameroon 1-0, courtesy of an 84th minute goal by Desire Oparanozie.

The Cameroonians also lost to Nigeria in the final of the 2014 edition of the competition hosted then by Namibia.

Backed by 40,000 supporters inside the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaounde, the hosts were confident of  an upset but the Lionesses proved to be profligate with Aboudi Onguene and current female African Footballer of the Year Gaelle Enganamouit wasting chances in the first half, largely dominated by them.

The Oparanozie goal came from a pass by Asisat Oshoala who had collected the ball from Ngozi Okobi.

Oshoala won for herself the Highest Goal Scorer award of the competition.

By that victory, the Falcons coach, Florence Omagbemi, goes down in history as the first woman to win the Africa Cup of Nations both as a player and coach. Omagbemi as a player captained Nigeria when they won the competition in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

The final match was also watched by the Cameroonian president, Paul Biya and the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, also a Cameroonian. President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick was also at the stadium.

The 11th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted by Ghana in 2018.