The West Africans won the 2025 edition with a record-extending 10th title in 13 different competitions, or “Mission X” as they called their efforts, thanks to the triumph in Rabat on Saturday.
Morocco, who had a lead after 24 minutes but only conceded three more, suffered their second straight final defeat.
Esther Okoronkwo scored the first goal, the second, the second, and Echegini’s stunning free kick that the home crowd was waiting for.
Morocco opened the scoring after 12 minutes as Nigeria conceded for the first time in open play at the 21, 000-seat Stade Olympique in the capital thanks to a jubilant crowd.
Nigeria had a number of chances to clear the ball, but Chebbak’s perfectly placed, rising shot prevented goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie from getting the ball.
The lead doubled 12 minutes later when Sanaa Mssoudy, who had been a goalkeeper for five games, fired a low shot into the far corner of the net to end a five-game goal drought.
In the opening half, Nigeria had more possession than the host nation, but Khadija Er-Rmichi, the team’s goalkeeper, was unaffected.
After a VAR review revealed a Folashade Ijamilusi cross striking Nouhaila Benzina’s hand, Okoronkwo converted Er-Rmichi for a penalty after the Moroccan lead halved after 64 minutes.
The team equalized seven minutes later when Ijamilusi pushed the pull-back into the net from close range after the goal had lifted the pressure of the increasingly assertive Nigeria.
FOR THE TENTH TIME, CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA! 🏆🇳🇬
Tell your neighbors, and tell everyone else that Super Falcons once more rule the world! #MORNGA #Champions #WAFCON2024 #MissionX #SoarSuperFalcons #WAFCON2024 twitter.com/tiUQZleMEy
After drawing 1-1 in the regular-time playoffs in Casablanca, Ghana came out on top of the table and won a penalty shootout 4-3 over South Africa.
After South Africa saved two subpar spot kicks in a row to give Ghana the lead, 19-year-old Nancy Amoh converted the winning penalty with a low shot into the net.
South Africa took the lead after 45 minutes when Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan made a blunder and Nonhlanhla Mthandi headed it into the net.
On 68 minutes, persistent Ghanaian pressure finally paid off with an assist from Andile Dlamini, a long-serving South Africa shotstopper, and an Alice Kusi header that hit the crossbar.
The Black Queens’ victory in the group stage was especially sweet because they were outplayed when they lost to Banyana Banyana (The Girls) with a score of 2-0.
South Africa has lost four of its five bronze medal games while Ghana has won the four third-place playoffs they were eligible for.
Source: Aljazeera
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