By Harry Awurumibe, ACCRA
For the next two weeks from today football followers and lovers of women’s football in Africa in particular and around the world will watch the best of the African women’s footballers showcase their skills as the 11th Total Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), Ghana 2018, kicks off today in Accra with the host team, Black Queens taking on La Fennecs of Algeria at Accra Sports Stadium in the opening match.
Six other countries participating in the competition are defending Champions -Nigeria, two-time Winners-Equitorial Guinea, South Africa, Mali, Zambia and finalists in the last edition, Cameroon.
The teams will play in two groups with Ghana, Algeria, Cameroon and Mali playing in Group A in Accra Center while Group B has Nigeria, South Africa, Eq. Guinea and Zambia. They will play in Cape Coast Sports Stadium.
Already, the die is cast and the gladiators are super charged and host country Ghana will this afternoon kick start the competition with an interesting match against Algeria at Accra Sports Stadium.
Ordinarily, the Black Queens versus La Fennecs tie could pass for a no- match on a good day considering the pedigree of the Ghana National Women’s Team (NWT), a team that has played in three Cup Finals in 1998, 2002 and 2006 but lost each time to Super Falcons of Nigeria.
For the Ghanaian team that finished third two years ago in Cameroon, this is the time to show their citizens who support them that they can host and win the competition like Nigeria on three occasions and Eq. Guinea on two different times.
For this reason, the Black Stars with a handful of foreign- based professional players will throw the kitchen sink at the Algerians with no professional football experience. It means that Ghana will go all out to attack the Algerians who are not as illustrious as their opponents.
The Ghana versus Algeria match will come up at 3: 40pm local time just as Cameroon and Mali will clash later in the evening at the same venue.
However, all eyes will be on the epic clash tomorrow at Cape Coast Sports Stadium between African women’s football powerhouse, Nigeria’s Super Falcons and rivals South Africa Banyana Banyana. The opening match of Group B will be very interesting in many respects.
Firstly, South Africa is desperate to get one over Nigeria but they are meeting the wrong team at a wrong time as the Super Falcons are a team made for big occasions.
The Nigerians are aware of the danger South Africans pose in this competition and are working hard to defeat them yet again on Sunday in Cape Coast.
What with the array of Super Stars of African football in the persons of Asisat Oshoala, reigning Africa Woman Foootballer of the Year and her compatriots like reliable striker, Desire Oparanozie, Captain Rita Chikwelu and New kid on the block, Chinwendu Ihezuo.
Other forign-based professional players in Super Falcons rank for this comeptition are veterans of AWCON Osinachi Ohale, Faith Michael, Sonia Okobi, Halimat Ayinde and Francisca Ordega as well as Chinaza Uchendu and home-based youth internationals like Rasheedat Ajibade, Anam Imo and three goalkeepers, Tochukwu Oluehi, Chiamaka Nnadozie and Christy Ohiaeriaku.
In deed, on paper Nigeria should just be handed the trophy but the challenge this time will be tougher with the seven of the countries except Eq. Guinea, still under F IFA ban, will be fighting to pick one of the three tickets to represent Africa in the 2019 FIFA Women World Cup finals in France.
This scenario puts pressure on the participating teams to fight in two fronts- World Cup ticket and AWCON trophy. With this in mind, no match will be easy for any of the team in Ghana. This will also bring out the best in all the players cum teams. Let the party start. Akwaaba.
Harry Awurumibe, Foremost African Women’s Football Reporter / Author
