By Harry Awurumibe
Expectedly, the epic final on October 31, 1998 between bitter English-speaking West African rivals, Nigeria and Ghana lived up to its billing but it was Nigeria that triumphed at the end of the match watched by over 30,000 fans including CAF ex- President Issah Hayatou and his executive committee members.
The home crowd at the stadium were beginning to grow weary when Super Falcons vice captain and midfielder Nkiru Okosieme struck in the 43′ to gift Nigeria the first goal that sent the fans at Gateway Stadium, Abeokuta into a wide jubilation and craving for more goals but the team could not score the second goal before the half time.
On resumption, the Ghanaians came out to fight but it was Nigeria, loaded to the hilt with every player in the team capable of scoring goals, that had up hand and it was a matter of time before right-winger Stella Mbachu aka ‘Mgbidi Express’, because of her quickness on the ball, added the second goal in the 64′ to put the game beyond the Black Queens.
All the efforts by the Ghanaians to breach the Nigerian goal where reliable goalkeeper Ann Agumanu-Chiejin held her own were thwarted by the defence made up of Eberechi Oparaku, Kikelomo Ajayi aka “Mama Yaro”, Yinka Kudaisi and skipper Florence Omagbemi.
Yet, Super Falcons had mobile midfielders in Okosieme, Maureen Mmadu and Mercy Akide while Patience Avre and Rita Nwadike operated from the left and right wings with Nkechi Egbe as a lone striker in coach Mabo’s preferred 4-3-3 Formation during the competition.
With a very strong reserves which had goalkeeper Judith Chime and defenders Prisca Emeafu, Adanna Nwaneri, Martha Terhember and Mavis Ogun as well defensive midfielder Gloria Usieta and right-winger Stella Mbachu, Super Falcons were condemned to win the competition ahead of other teams that were not blessed with the quality of players Nigeria paraded.
It is on record that half dozen of Super Falcons players scored goals for Nigeria including Mercy Akide who contributed 10 goals in five matches to emerge the highest goalscorer while Nkiru Okosieme who scored the first goal in the final against Ghana came second in goals tally just as Patience Avre
and Rita Nwadike placed third in goalscoring as the likes of Stella Mbachu, Maureen Mmadu and Florence Omagbemi are among those on scorers-chart in the tournament.
But worthy of mentioning was Super Falcons’ invincibility in the competition as the statistics of the 1st AWC ‘Nigeria ’98’ showed that Nigeria has the enviable record of playing five matches on the road to winning the coveted trophy donated by Nigeria’s First Lady Maryam Abacha in 1998 without conceding a single goal, thanks to the overall performance of the Super Falcons especially the last woman in the defence and first choice goalkeeper, Ann Agumanu-Chiejine who did not concede a single goal in 450 minutes of football action.
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Agumanu-Chiejine who was the pioneer No.1 goalkeeper of Super Falcons in Nigeria’s first-ever international FIFA Women’s World Cup African qualifier match against Black Queens of Ghana at National Stadium Surulere, Lagos on Saturday, February 16, 1991, was so impressive that she was always preferred in the post by successive Super Falcons coaches as she reigned supreme for club and country for a decade plus years.
A closer look at the tournament’s statistics released by CAF and which stayed till date showed that Nigeria emerged champion after playing 5 matches and winning all. She raked in 15 points and scored 28 goals without conceeding a single goal in the process.
The runners-up Ghana, played a total of 4 matches; won 3 and lost 1 game; garnered 9 points; scored 11 goals and conceded 4 goals while the 3rd place team DR Congo played 5 matches; won 1; drew 2; lost 2 and got 5 points. The team scored 8 goals but conceded 14 goals.
The 4th-placed team, Cameroon played 4 matches, won only 1 ; drew 1; lost 2; earned 4 points; scored 7 goals but conceded 14 goals.
The above statistics showed that Nigeria was once miles ahead of other African countries including now “African Super Powers”-South Africa, Morocco and Zambia, teams that defeated Nigeria in the last WAFCON in Morocco.
Although Nigeria did well in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand in the estimation of “Hailers” by mere defeating co-host Australia 3-2 in the group stage and later dragged England to a penalty shootout after 120 minutes of football before being eliminated, most present generation of
Super Falcons players are yet to win a Silverware for the country.
At the moment, only a handful of players were in the team that won the 2018 WAFCON Trophy in Ghana while the majority of the present squad of Super Falcons under the coaching supervision of American-born Randy Waldrum who has been on the job on part-time basis as approved by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), have not touched the glittering African Cup before.
They include goalkeeper Monle Oyono (Bayelsa Queens) and defenders-Comfort Folorunsho (Edo Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Stade de Reims, France); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Nicole Payne (Paris Saint Germain, France); Jumoke Alani (Edo Queens) and Rofiat Imuran (Stade de Reims, France).
Others are midfielders- Esther Onyenezide (FC Robo Queens); Peace Efih (Sporting Club de Braga, Portugal) and Toni Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain) as well as forwards-Omorinsola Babajide (Coasta Adeje Tenerife Egatesa, Spain); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenna Kanu (Racing Louisville, USA) and Opeyemi Ajakaye (FC Robo Queens). READ ALSO:
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With the no love lost relationship between Waldrum and NFF on one hand and the inability of the Federation to hire a highly qualified expatriate manager like the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) did recently by hiring the Spain 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup winner, Jorge Vilda, or give full mandate to qualified Nigerian coaches to handle the Super Falcons in full-time basis, have conspired to make Nigeria less likely to win WAFCON again without conceeding a single goal.
It will be easier for a Camel to pass through the eyes of the Niddle than Super Falcons to repeat the feat achieved by the Class of 1998 AWC and FIFA Women’s World Cup USA’99.
Happy 25th Anniversary Super Falcons of Nigeria, 11-time African Champions and Pride of Black World.
**Harry Awurumibe is Africa’s No.1 Women Football Journalist
