Two first half goals by Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala was all the Falcons needed to confirm their ratings as favourites as they won the trophy a record seventh time. They completed the campaign without losing a match.
Falcon-AWCThe Early exchanges were even. But it was the Falcons that showed some flashes of brilliance as they were more comfortable on the ball. Josephine Chukwunonye took a blow to her face a reminder that the game will be a hard fought one. Cameroon Deborah Enganamouit made her presence felt, but her curling free kick from the edge of the box sailed over the bar. On the 14th minute the Super Falcons had their own free kick after Francesca Ordega was wrestled down outside the Cameroonian box. Desire Oparanozie fired the ball into the net after Ngozi Ebere’s decoy fooled the Indomitable Lionesses defence.
Cameroon came back seeking to draw level, but the Nigerian back line of Onome Ebi, Ngozi Ebrere Evelyn Nwabuoku and Ngozi Ujoku picked up the pieces, while Ibubeleye Whyte in goal remained vigilant. Enganamouit was ever threatening when she pounced on a loose ball, but her shot grazed the far right. Oparanozie had the chance to make it two after Asisat Oshoala worked her way into the box, but she shot wide. On the 44th minute Oshoala made it two after Ordega weaved her way through the Cameroon defence and laid a pass to Oshoala who was lurking in the six yard box.
After the break, Cameroon came out strong looking for a hope riser with Enganamouit tormenting Falcons defence with her shots from outside the box. Oshoala also caused the Cameroon anxious moments. Whyte was forced to make a save from a free kick. The Falcons allowed the Cameroonians to take control of the game and were forced to abandon their sleek passing game. They defended tight. Whyte was excellent in the post; she denied the Cameroonians any chance of coming back into the game.
Ordega was crowned the woman of the match. “We prepared hard for this match and we knew that Cameroon players will come hard, but we were equal to the task,” she said after the match.
Oparanozie was crowned the goal queen of the tournament.
Both Nigeria and Cameroon along with third-place winners Cote d’Ivoire will represent Africa in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.
