By Harry Awurumibe in Accra, GHANA
Two out of three countries that will represent Africa in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup final in France will emerge today in Accra and Cape Coast at the end of the two semi final matches in the ongoing 11th Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON).
The third representative will be known after the Third Place Match scheduled for Friday between the losers of the two semi finals.
Either Nigeria or Cameroon will pick the first ticket after the final whistle of the first semi final match billed for 3:30 pm at Accra Sports Stadium when both countries clash in what looks like a grudge encounter between the two old rivals who met two years ago in the final of AWCON 2016.
In that epic match watched by the President of Cameroon, H.E.Paul Biya, his wife and First Lady as well as top brass of the Government of Cameroon and African football, Nigeria’s Super Falcons triumphed over the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon courtesy of a Desire Oparanozie lone goal which silenced the vociferous home fans at Ahmadu Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde.
It is this painful home defeat that will motivate the Cameroonians to come out forcefully against their more illustrious Nigerians who are even more hungry to pick the World Cup ticket before thinking of how to retain the cup she won two years ago.
Super Falcons Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby had already hinted during a post- match media conference in Accra on Monday that his team’s focus is to pick the World Cup ticket, adding that he is not likely to make a radical change to his team that has won two games after losing the fisrt game to South Africa in Cape Coast in the opening match of the tournament before returning to wallop Zambia and Equitorial Guinea 4-0 and 6-0 respectively.
Nigeria will likely feature the usual with Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi retaining her place in the 4-3-3 formation that has produced two victories and 10 goals scored. To protect the goalie will be a back four of co- captain-Onome Ebi, Ngozi Ebere, Josephine Chukwunonye and no nonsense center back, Osinachi Ohale. Midfielders Sonia Okobi, Halimat Ayinde and Captain Rita Chikwelu will supply the fearsome Falcons attack line with the ball to damage the Lionesses on the day.
The attackers are Washington Spirit dazzler, Francesca Ordega; En Avant de Guingamp power player, Desire Oparanozie and China’s Dalian Quanjian star, Asisat Oshoala who is also the reigning African Best Woman Footballer . The trio have scored six goals between them in three matches with Oshoala hitting a hattrick against Equitorial Guinea last Sunday in Cape Coast.
The form book favours Nigeria to win this match no matter how ugly the Super Falcons will perform even as Dennerby’s team has the strong bench to pick a win. Two substitutes have scored two goals so far. They are Rasheedat Ajibade and Amarachi Okoronkwo.
In the second semi final match slated for Cape Coast, South Africa has her brightest chance to beat Mali to qualify for her first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup final. The coach Desiree Ellis tutored team has the quality to grind out a victory over Mali but the West African nation has equal chance to pick World Cup ticket too.
