By Emmanuel Faith, Impetus Africa Correspondent (5/8/23)
Above: Morocco celebrate their progress to the knockout rounds. Photo: FIFA WWC Twitter
The world stood still, the Atlas Lionesses huddled and held hands as they listened to the countdown from Perth’s HBF Park to the outcome in Brisbane over 2,500 miles away. In a few seconds, their expectations were met – the debutants had just qualified for the second round of the tournament-piping the second ranked team in the world to the second qualifying spot in Group H.
When the World Cup started, no one will have predicted Morocco qualifying ahead of Germany, Nigeria beating the co-hosts at home and South Africa scoring six goals in three matches (they registered only one in their last-outing in 2019), but here we are, the continent with the highest representation percentage wise (75%).
How it happened
Nigeria
It is safe to say the Super Falcons inspired the continent with their resilient performance against the current Olympic champions Canada in the opening match. There were a flurry of chances at both ends but the most spectacular was the penalty awarded in the 50th minute. When the veteran, Christian Sinclair stepped up to the penalty spot, the stadium went silent – then went agog after Chiamaka Nnadozie saved the penalty. She had just secured the first point for the tournament,
In the second match was a galore of goals as the Super Falcons faced the hosts who were missing two key players- their talisman Sam Kerr and the young striker Mary Fowler.
It was a goal galore that saw the Falcons pick maximum points – and the review was captured by our colleagues here
With the Super Falcons needing a point to qualify, the match against Ireland was played with a lot of caution and management, and a goalless draw ensured the Falcons qualified while avoiding defeat at the group stage for the first time ever.
South Africa
When the South Africans let a one-goal lead slip to a 2-1 defeat in the first match, people criticised Desire Ellis and her team. The criticisms went a bar higher when they squandered a two-goal lead over Argentina putting them in a position where they needed a win in their last group to have a chance at qualifying.
It was difficult, it was intense, but they got it done in a five-goal thriller against the Italians. Beautiful goals from the veteran striker and WAFCON hero Hilda Magaia while the 2018 CAF women’s footballer of the year Thembi Kgatlanascored exciting goals to drive the dagger of defeat into the heart of the Italians and pick up the second qualification spot in Group G to set up a second-round match against the Dutch.
Morocco
The Discovery, the lethal ones, the surprise of the tournament. When they lost 6-0 to Germany in the first match, no one could predict that they’d make it out of the group but 1-0 victories in their next two matches over South Korea and Colombia ensured they piped the world number two to a round of sixteen ticket despite been on a negative goal difference. They also became the first team in the 20th century to make it to the second round despite a goal difference of minus 4.
What next?
A lot of records were broken- from Morocco’s Nouhaila Benzina who became the first player to wear a hijab at the World Cup to Asisat Oshoala who became the first African player to score at three World Cups and Barbra Banda scoring the 1000th goal of the competition.
The African teams play the European teams in the next round. The current African champions will face the ninthth ranked team Netherlands who will be wary of South Africa as Sweden had to wait till the 90th minute to record a victory against them in the group stages.
The Super Falcons will combat Sarina Weigman’s Lionesses. This might look easily predictable on paper as Wiegman finally unlocked her team’s morale and unleashed her lethal weapon Lauren James, but a team that held the Olympic champions to a draw and defeated the host nation in front of their crowd cannot be underrated, can they?
Les Blues did not have it easy in their group. They started with a draw against the Reggae Girlz of Jamaica and had to dig deep for a victory against the Brazilians and score an array of goals to ensure Panama’s last dance wasn’t going to be a victorious one despite their unrelenting display in a scintillating match that had nine goals. They would fancy their chances against the Marocs but if there is anything this World Cup has taught the audience so far, it is that nothing is unpredictable.
Gone are the days of getting beaten and battered. Africans are here, making exciting history and we are all witnesses documenting these stories.
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