By Obaloluwa Joshua, LAGOS
Former Banyana Banyana of South Africa captain Simphiwe Dludlu has played down the Super Falcons title chances at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Prompt News reports.
The Super Falcons are chasing a 10th title at the ongoing 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Justine Madugu’s side have won two games, and drawn one at the competition.The West Africans will take on the Copper Queens of Zambia in the quarter-final on Friday.
“I look at them and I think the rest of Africa has caught up. Because if you remember, Nigeria used to be the only team that exported a lot of quality players outside of Nigeria and outside of Africa, which means they played in big leagues and they competed long before everyone could think that women could make it overseas. The rest of Africa is catching up, so the playing field is a bit more level,” Dludlu said in an interview with Lagos Talks FM.
“However, I just think that the Nigerian side doesn’t feel like they’ve been challenged by anyone consistently.
“South Africa might have challenged them in 2018, beat them in the first game and then they still won in the final. In 2022, they didn’t even get on the podium.
“Teams have levelled up, and there hasn’t been a lot of clarity in that Nigerian side. When you’re a champion like Nigeria, you have to keep setting the bar higher and higher for everyone else to see that you are at that level. They’re not making anyone run; they’re giving hope to the other teams that they can take them on. Botswana almost pulled a draw out of them.”
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