Rabat, Morocco – Dem quarter-finals for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations don land, and e go sweet pass jollof rice for Naija party! After group stage wey get plenty goals – 45 to be precise – three big teams don dash to the next round: Nigeria, Morocco, and South Africa. Everybody dey ready to show wetin dem fit do as dem bring their ‘A’ game.
No team sabi win all their matches, but two teams – Zambia and Algeria – no fit lose. Ghana still find way enter second round despite starting with loss. Na so dem two best third-placed teams, Mali and Senegal, come follow enter the party, hoping to shock some big boys for the knockout stage.
Nigeria, wey don win Wafcon nine times, never chop failure for semi-finals, but their coach, Justine Madugu, don drop alert say goals dey worry am! E talk say since dem score only once since dem first match, na serious matter. ‘No room for errors, we must dey 100%,’ na wetin Madugu talk. Y’all need that sharpness wey dem dey lack, else e go dey suffocate for dem.
Zambia, on the other hand, dey flex with seven goals and dey confident. Dem strikers, Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, dey on fire, each scoring three times as dem finish with seven points, just like Naija. ‘E go sweet if we fit mirror di men for 2012,’ Barbra talk to BBC World Service. E go be big moment for dem if dem fit shine this time!
No be small wahala, Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie no show any fear. She dey always watch those Zambian attackers carefully. ‘Trust me, I’m ready for them,’ she confidently drop. Na so dey say ‘security’ for goal post! Di last time dem meet, na Zambia win 1-0 for 2022 finals. Dem eyes dey red to take their pound of flesh this time.
Morocco, wey dey co-host the tournament, set for some small drama too. Ghizlane Chebbak, their captain, dey shoot arrows for Mali as e don net four goals. But dem also get defensive issues, especially after conceding six goals so far. Coach Jorge Vilda, wey carry Spain win World Cup, dey balance joy and pressure for di ladies.
Mali boasted of captain Fatoumata Karentao wey dey battle injury issues. Coach Mohamed Saloum dey keep hope alive for semis like 2018, insisting say ‘quality over physical.’ Anything fit happen when dem dey on field, especially for knockout stage!
Algeria, fresh face for knockout stage, dey under brilliant coach Farid Benstiti wey prefer defensive tactics. ‘Defence na our style,’ e talk. Dem no concede any goal yet, but dem need to up their game moving forward. E go sweet to see how dem go manage against Ghana.
Ghana don fire warning shots when dem beat Tanzania 4-1 with last-minute big brother effort last group match. Coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren don set eyes on dem eighth semi-final. ‘We sabi wetin we want,’ he no dey waste words!
South Africa, di defending champions, na dem carry di biggest plus with 4-0 win against Mali. Coach Desiree Ellis dey shine eye on Senegal, knowing say dem no fit underestimate di Lionesses of Teranga. ‘One moment fit change everything,’ she remind dem squad, hoping dem continue di winning train.
For now, e remain eight teams wey dey chook head for di prestigious Wafcon title. Di quarter-final match-ups don ready, and all eyes go dey glued to di screen this weekend! Make we see who go run the show! Time for palm wine and football magic!
