Falcons in the hunt for ninth AWC title

Although they have not been convincing on the global stage, the Super Falcons have dominated the continent of Africa, winning the African Women Championship eight times out of the nine editions that have been staged. A look at the record of the team’s performance in the biennial Africa women’s championship shows that the Falcons defeated […]

Although they have not been convincing on the global stage, the Super Falcons have dominated the continent of Africa, winning the African Women Championship eight times out of the nine editions that have been staged.

A look at the record of the team’s performance in the biennial Africa women’s championship shows that the Falcons defeated Cameroon 2-0 in 1991 to win the inaugural edition, beat South Africa 4-1 in 1995 for their second title, defeated Ghana 2-0 in 1998 to lift the trophy for the third time, humbled South Africa again 2-0  in 2000 for their fourth title, beat the Black Queens of Ghana again 2-0 in 2002 for their fifth title just as the Indomitable Lioness of Cameroon fell 5-0 to the Falcons in 2004 to hand the Nigerian women their sixth title.

In 2006, the Falcons again defeated the Black Queens of Ghana 1-0 to win their seventh title. The Nigerian women however stumbled in 2008 when this year’s host, Equatorial Guinea staged the championship for the first time and ran away with the trophy at stake, thereby denying the Falcons a hundred percent run in the competition. The host defeated the Falcons in their semi-final match and went ahead to clinch the trophy after beating South Africa 2-1 in the finals.

But it did not take long before the Falcons avenged that controversial loss. The two nations met again in the finals of the 2010 championship in South Africa and the Nigerian women were the better of the two as they recorded a convincing 4-2 victory over the Guineans to lift their eight title.

Furthermore, it is worthy to note that in the history of their participation in Africa football competition, the Falcons have lost just a few competitive matches. On December 2, 2002, the Falcons lost to the Black Queens of Ghana in Warri at that year’s Africa Championship. They lost again to Algeria on June 3, 2007, lost to Black Queens again on August 12, 2007, were defeated on November 25, 2008 by Equatorial Guinea, lost to Ghana Black Queens again in 2011 in an All Africa Games qualifying match and lost 2-1 to the Indomitable Lioness of Cameroon 2-1 in their 2012 Olympic qualifying match.

It is worthy to note that most of the Falcons defeats have been at the FIFA Women World Cup and the Olympics where they are yet to prove that they have come of age. The team has been to every World Cup since 1991, but managed just once to finish in the top eight. In 2003, the Falcons turned out to be the biggest disappointment of the first round, failing to score a single goal and losing all three Group A matches. They did little better in 2007, drawing only one of their Group B matches. However, it must also be noted in their defense that they faced the group of death in both 2003 and 2007, grouped both times with rising Asian power North Korea, traditional European power Sweden, and a historic women’s superpower in the USA.

It is with their intimidating profile on the continent that the Super Falcons under the tutelage of veteran coach, Kadiri Ikhana will begin their chase for a ninth title on Monday against one of their perennial rivals. The Super Falcons, the indomitable Lionesses and the Black Queens of Ghana are inarguably Africa’s most successful women national football teams.

It is on record that out of the five times that defeat has been inflicted on the Falcons on the continent, the Black Queens have had the highest number-three out of the five. A match involving any of the three super powers in African women football is usually explosive.

Consequently, Monday’s opening match of Group B of the 2012 Africa Women Championship inside the Nkoantoma stadium Bata in Equatorial Guinea between the Super Falcons and the indomitable Lioness of Cameroon will surely throw up a lot of excitement.

It will be apt to describe the Falcons versus Lioness match as a grudge game as the Nigerian women apart from targeting the three points would aim to take back their pound of flesh from the Cameroonians. It was the Lionesses that rubbed salt into the wounds of Nigerians when they denied the Falcons the London 2012 ticket few days after the Super Eagles had failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea.

After a slim 2-1 victory in Abuja, the Falcons fell by the same margin to the Lionesses in Yaounde and the resultant penalty shoot-out went against the Nigerian women. It is said time is a healing factor but Nigerian fans are yet to overcome the pains of that defeat. It is therefore pay-back time and the Falcons are looking forward to Monday’s game to assuage the pains of Nigerian fans.

After final round of preparations in Ghana, the Falcons are in high spirits in Equatorial Guinea with only one thing in mind- to win their ninth title and further prove that they are the best on the continent.

Confidence is really high because Falcons boast of experience and youthful vigour as the likes of veterans, Perpetual Nkwocha, Stella Mbachu, Precious Dede and Helen Ukaonu, Onome Ebi, Rita Chikwelu and Ebere Orji are set to propel the team to victory in Equatorial Guinea come November 11.