Super Falcons, S’Africa’s Banyana Banyana in World Cup Second Chance Blockbuster
Duro Ikhazuagbe
After Nigeria and South Africa were denied direct qualifications to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup to be hosted by Brazil, the Super Falcons and Banyana Banyana have another chance this evening to fight for the ‘back door’ tickets via the African playoff.
Two teams from Africa will join eight others from Asia, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, Oceania and Europe to fight for the remaining three slots for the World Cup at an intercontinental playoff scheduled for February next year. Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire who also lost in the quarterfinals of WAFCON 2026 are the two other teams to battle for the second ticket to the playoffs. Venue is the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca, with kickoff set for 9pm.
It is a year and 22 days since both Super Falcons and Banyana Banyana last clash – a turgid and dramatic WAFCON semi final also played in Casablanca, which Nigeria won 2-1 with a spectacular added-time goal by defender Michelle Alozie. The strike knocked then Cup-holders South Africa cold, in a game each time had earlier scored once from the penalty spot.
Banyana Banyana have been victorious over the Super Falcons in three editions of the Women Africa Cup of Nations – 2012, 2018 and 2022. However, those are three of only four competitive matches in which South Africa’s senior women have beaten their Nigerian counterparts, with the 10-time African champions having defeated Banyana in 17 other clashes.
Thursday’s encounter could prove even more fierce than any of their past encounters, with both teams eager to advance and reach the Inter-Confederations Playoff Tournament – the window they have now to reach Brazil 2027 after failing to reach the Women AFCON semi finals.
Before last year’s Women AFCON semi-final duel, both teams had fought a titanic battle in two match-days for a spot at the 2024 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament, with Captain Rasheedat Ajibade’s goal from the penalty spot in Abuja separating the two teams in 180 minutes.
Two years earlier, the Banyana had edged the Falcons 2-1 in the two teams’ opening match of the 2022 Women AFCON in Morocco.
Ajibade will still lead out the Falcons today, while the Banyana still have the precocious and lethal Thembi Kgatlana in their ranks.
After creating so many opportunities but failing to hit target in the duel with Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses on Sunday, Coach Justin Madugu will surely opt to start with a couple of clinical finishers this evening.