Morocco secured on Tuesday,July 22,a historic place in the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final after a tense 1-1 draw against Ghana ended in a 4-2 penalty shootout triumph.
The breakthrough came when Stella Nyamekye scored for Ghana in the 26th minute,capitalising on a rebound from Josephine Bonsu’s header. Morocco responded in the 55th minute through Sakina Ouzraoui’s composed strike. With no further goals in extra time,goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi’s crucial save against Comfort Yeboah sealed Morocco’s place in the final. This marks a continued rise for Moroccan women’s football,which reached its first WAFCON final in 2022 and advanced to the Women’s World Cup round of 16 in 2023.
Earlier,Nigeria edged defending champions South Africa 2-1 in a dramatic semifinal in Casablanca. Rasheedat Ajibade opened the scoring for the Super Falcons with a penalty before Linda Motlhalo levelled for South Africa,also from the spot. In added time,Michelle Alozie’s long-range effort bounced untouched into the net,securing victory and sending Nigeria—chasing a 10th WAFCON title—into the final. The match saw a moment of distress when South African midfielder Gabriela Salgado sustained a serious injury,drawing emotional reactions from both teams. The highly anticipated final between Nigeria and Morocco will take place on Saturday,promising an intense showdown between two in-form sides.
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