By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
In few hours now, the Atlas Lionesses of Morocco and newcomers, Lady Stallions of Burkina Faso will kick start the 12th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tagged Morocco 2022 at Complexe Moulay Abdallah in Rabat.
It starts at 9:30 pm local time on Saturday July 2, 2022.
It will be Morocco’s second time to play the opening match in her third participation in the 24 year-old competition even as their first time against dreaded Super Falcons of Nigeria at Ranch Bees Stadium, Kaduna on October 17, 1998 ended in sadness with Morocco losing 0-8 to Nigeria on the day.
They were drawn in Group A against host Nigeria, Congo and Egypt where they finished third in the group after winning, losing and drawing a match each.
Atlas Lionesses’ second appearance in 2000 also did not leave much to be desired hence the country’s football authorities went back to the drawing board to restrategies for the future, thanks to the launch of an ambitious Women’s Development Plan by Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
But the North African nation has bounced back as the team currently ranked No.77 by No. 8 in Africa have recently shown flashes of a serious side if their performance in the maiden Aisha Buhari Invitational tournament held in Lagos, Nigeria last year was anything to rely upon.
Moroccans earned themselves an automatic qualification to this edition by virtue of being host nation and they will be appearing at the tournament for the third time in their history.
However, the Moroccan Football Federation made a bold decision to hire a tested and trusted Head Coach, Reynald Pedros who is one of the most experienced coaches coming into this year’s TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The tactician guided French women’s football giants Lyon to their 12th and 13th French topflight league titles and the third and fourth UEFA Women’s Champions League crowns during his two year stint between 2017 and 2019.
The tactician was voted as the best women’s coach at the FIFA Awards in 2018 and the 50-year old took over as Head Coach of the Moroccan side in 2020, and since hit the ground running.
He has led the Lionesses to eight wins in 10 outings and is expected to lead them to glory at the continent showpiece on home soil.
Meanwhile, Lady Stallions of Burkina Faso are participating in their very first WAFCON after a successful qualifying campaign in which they eliminated Benin Republic 5-2 on aggregate and Guinea Bissau 7-0 on aggregate in impressive double-headed qualifiers.
It is expected that the Burkinabes will not punch above their weights, not when they are meeting a host nation with their vociferous supporters acting as the 12th player on the night.
On paper, the Burkina Faso ranked 138 in the world and far below Morocco in Africa, will not pose a threat to Morocco and can only play to gain experience in the continent.
But Pascal Sawadogo, Head Coach of Lady Stallions is upbeat about their chances in the competition as the gaffer who looked
relaxed during the pre-match press conference in Rabat, said that his primary objective during this match is to “seduce the public and the fans and prove that women also know how to play football.”
Said he: “It is often said that behind every man is a great lady, but today I will say that we are side by side. I can’t talk about the strengths and weaknesses of our opponent but what I can say is that Moroccan women play good football”.
“We will play to our qualities and we will bleed to win. I think our group is very balanced,” Sawadogo posited.
A high scoreline is expected in the match if Coach Pedros’ team which parades about seven Europe-based professional players will play to their potentials.
Atlas Lionesses foreign-based stars are Nesryne El Chad (AS Saint-Etienne France); Nahla Nakkach, (Servette FC Switzerland); Salman Amani (US Saint-Malo, France) and Sabah Seghir, (UC Sampodoria, Italy).
Others are Samya Hassani, (KRC Genk, Belgium); Eva Maria Odette Allice, (FC Montauban France); Imane Saoud (FC Basel Switzerland) and Rosella Ayane, (Tottenham Hotspur, England).
Good luck to both teams.
