Falcons vs Banyana: An age-long rivalry rekindled

Goal reviews the African Women Championship rivalry that exists between Nigeria and South Africa ahead of their crunch semi-final clash at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek

As Nigeria prepare to face South Africa in the semi-final of the 9th African Women Championship in Namibia, Goal takes a look at previous encounters involving both sides in the competition.

The two teams have met six times with Nigeria winning five of those matches. South Africa recorded a famous victory against the Super Falcons in the 2012 edition with their lone strike coming off the boot of defender Janine van Wyck.

Both teams faced each other for the very first time in the African Women Championship on November 25, 2000 in Boksburg – which was incidentally the final of the tournament. The three-time winners eased past Zimbabwe 6-0 to face Banyana Banyanawho got the better of Ghana 1-0 in the last four to challenge for the trophy.

It had promised to be a dream final, as the hosts looked forward to upstage the defending champions, ranked fifth in the world after the 1999 Women's World Cup in the US. But the game had a rare taste of violence when the match was abandoned with 28 minutes to play.

The trouble started, in a packed Vosloorus Stadium, with South African supporters hurling stones and bottles onto the pitch after Nigeria's second goal scored by Stella Mbachu. The crowd protested (wrongly) that the goal should have been disallowed because an injured Nigerian player had been lying in an offside position. Olaitan Yusuf had opened the scoring in the 31st minute.

The second meeting ended in a 5-0 whitewash against the largely inexperienced South African side led by Veronica Phewa.  

It was the fifth edition of the competition and the Super Falcons who played as hosts finished runners up behind Ghana in Group A while Banyana topped Group B that had Cameroon, Angola and Zimbabwe to set up an epic clash with their west African opponents coached by Sam Okpodu.

Nigeria went a step further by lifting their fifth trophy while South Africa bowed to the superior fireworks of Cameroon 3-0 in the third place play-offs.

The Super Falcons did not spare the South Africans in their third meeting at the Oleh Township Stadium, Delta State.

A first half brace from Cynthia Uwak ensured Nigeria maintained her dominance against the Banyana in a Group A encounter. Stella Mbachu who was a thorn in the flesh of the South Africans raced past the opponents area before setting up Uwak for a simple tap-in in the fourth minute.
Two minutes before the break, Uwak profited from a Perpetua Nkwocha pass before beating Molale Bridgette in goal for South Africa.

At the end, Nigeria emerged champions after beating Ghana 1-0 in the final courtesy of Perpetua Nkwocha’s 13th minute strike while South Africa defeated Cameroon on penalties to grab bronze.

The fourth encounter between both sides was decided on a neutral ground – this time at the Estadio La Libertad in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

Ifeanyi Chiejine’s 16th minute strike was enough to silence the hard fighting Banyana. Even with this result, the Super Falcons failed to lift the title for the very first time but got a bronze medal to show for their efforts after beating Cameroon 4-3 on penalties after regulation time scores stood a goal apiece.

Maureen Eke had put the Nigerian ladies in the drivers’ seat with a 28th minute goal but Onguene Aboudi pulled the equalizer in the 64th minute. South Africa lost in the final 2-1 to hosts Equatorial Guinea.

Even as hosts, South Africa could not halt Nigeria’s juggernaut as they bowed 2-1 before home fans who came to watch the second Group A game at the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton. South Africa started the brighter as Precious Dede was forced to tip a header by Banyana skipper Noko Matlou over the bar.

But Nigeria took the lead on 33 minutes with a swift breakaway as Perpetua Nkwocha got in behind the defence to coolly finish and give the west Africans the lead.

Nkwocha completed her brace in the 39th minute as she headed home a Jerome Ulunma corner kick before Nompumelelo Nyandeni got one for the hosts. Nigeria for the seventh time emerged champions of Africa after spanking defending champions Equatorial Guinea 4-2 in the final with South Africa settling for bronze.

After five failed expeditions, Banyana got their first victory against the Super Falcons at the Nkoantoma Stadium in Equatorial Guinea.

Central defender Janine van Wyk scored the all-important goal in the 23rd minute. After Nigeria failed to clear their lines from a South African corner, Van Wyk was on hand to strike the ball from 25 metres out with her left foot and watched as it dipped in off the underside of the crossbar past goalkeeper and captain Precious Dede.

The Sasol-sponsored Banyana will face Equatorial Guinea in the final in Malabo on Sunday, November 11, after the hosts defeated Cameroon 2-0 in the first semi-final played earlier in the day.

The victory marked Banyana's first triumph over Nigeria, the number-one ranked side in Africa, since their international debut in 1993.

Worst still, Nigeria returned home empty handed after falling 1-0 to Cameroon in the third place game.