Nigeria won her first WAFU Women’s title with a 5-4 penalty shoot out victory over host nation Ivory Coast, after the sides 1-1 result in regulation time.
The Super Falcons had to fight their way back into the game after going down 1-0, late in the first half through an Ange Koko N’Guessan spectacular free kick, which sent the crowd at the Stade Robert Champroux wild.
The hosts were resilient, repelling everything the Nigerian Ladies threw at them, but the pressure paid off eventually for Thomas Dennerby’s Ladies; very late in the game.
Uchenna Kanu delivered the blow that crushed the spirit of the dogged hosts.
Her 94th-minute strike forced a penalty, the second time in successive games Nigeria had to decide a contest by shootouts in the competition.
From the spot, Amarachi Okoronkwo, Maryam Ibrahim, Alice Ogebe, Joy Bokiri and captain Evelyn Nwabuoku made no mistake.
The Falcons finished the tournament unbeaten and were as the best attacking side scoring a total of 23 goals; conceding just two.
They opened their account in the tournament with a 5-1 thrashing of Burkina Faso, set a new record of biggest win with the 15-0 victory over Niger Republic.
In the final group game, the Ladies defeated Mali 2-0 and in the semis against Ghana were forced to a goalless result in regulation time, but progressed eventually 5-4 on penalties.
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