Morocco beat Ghana on penalties to set up Nigeria WAFCON final

Host federation Morocco volition look Nigeria successful the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations aft beating Ghana connected penalties.

Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah’s attempt, and the hosts, Morocco, precocious to the title of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) connected a punishment shootout aft a 1-1 gully with Ghana.

Morocco, which prevailed 4-2 connected penalties connected Tuesday, volition look Nigeria successful the last connected Saturday. The Super Falcons defeated defending champions South Africa 2-1 successful the earlier semifinal connected Tuesday successful Casablanca.

Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a manus connected Josephine Bonsu’s header, but it bounced disconnected the station and skittered crossed the extremity for Stella Nyamekye to propulsion it into the nett successful the 26th minute.

Morocco equalised successful the 55th erstwhile Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a walk from her thorax to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan.

Scoreless for the remainder of regulation, the lucifer went to other clip astatine Rabat’s Olympic Stadium.

Morocco has seen its nationalist squad emergence successful caller years. The squad reached the WAFCON last successful 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco besides went to the Women’s World Cup for the archetypal clip successful 2023 and precocious to the circular of 16.

Morocco precocious to the semifinals with a 3-1 triumph implicit Mali, portion Ghana downed Algeria 4-2 connected penalties aft a scoreless draw.

Nigeria bushed South Africa successful archetypal WAFCON semi

Michelle Alozie’s agelong shot bounced into the extremity successful stoppage clip to springiness Nigeria a 2-1 triumph implicit South Africa earlier connected Tuesday, and nonstop the Super Falcons into the last astatine the WAFCON.

The Super Falcons person won 9 WAFCON titles. Disappointed by their fourth-place decorativeness successful the 2022 tournament, the Super Falcons dubbed their extremity to triumph this lawsuit arsenic “Mission X”.

Alozie, who plays successful the National Women’s Soccer League for the Houston Dash, sent the shot guardant from region 4 minutes into stoppage time. Although 2 teammates were successful beforehand of South Africa’s net, neither of them touched the shot arsenic it bounced into the goal.

Rasheedat Ajibade, who plays for Atlético Madrid, converted a punishment conscionable earlier half-time to enactment Nigeria up 1-0. The Super Falcons were awarded the punishment due to the fact that of a handball successful the box.

South Africa, the defending WAFCON champions, pulled adjacent connected Linda Motlhalo’s punishment successful the 60th minute.

Nigeria, which had not antecedently conceded a extremity successful the tournament, routed Zambia 5-0 successful the quarterfinals to advance. South Africa, led by manager Desiree Ellis, precocious connected penalties aft a scoreless gully with Senegal.

There was a scary infinitesimal successful the 84th infinitesimal erstwhile South Africa midfielder Gabriela Salgado went down with an injury, and players from some teams frantically gestured for help.

Salgado was stretchered disconnected with her near limb heavy wrapped arsenic her teammates sobbed. The assemblage astatine Stade Larbi Zaouli chanted her name.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies