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Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
In a summer full of women's soccer, the Africa Cup of Nations has intrigue
Nigeria's Mission X has an ominous sounding name but a simple meaning. The Super Falcons aim to win a 10th overall Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. The WAFCON tournament comes during a busy summer of major women's soccer tournaments across the globe headlined by the European Championship and the Copa América Femenina in South America. Just as Spain seeks to follow its Women's World Cup title with a Euro trophy in Switzerland and Brazil goes for a ninth Copa América title in Ecuador, the Super Falcons are among the favorites in Morocco. They even have a flashy slogan: 'This is Mission X. One Team. One Goal. One More Star.' But while Nigeria emerged atop its group, its results weren't all that impressive, capped by a scoreless draw against second-place Algeria after a slim 1-0 victory over Botswana. It gets considerably more challenging in the WAFCON quarterfinals on Friday when the Super Falcons face Zambia. With their nine African titles, the Super Falcons are the continent's most successful women's team. Nigeria has appeared in the Women's World Cup nine times and reached the quarterfinals in 1999 when the field was 16 teams. Like around the rest of the world, women's soccer is growing in Africa. At the expanded 2023 Women's World Cup there were four African teams. In addition to Nigeria, Zambia and Morocco made their debuts and South Africa appeared for the second time. Nigeria, South Africa and upstart Morocco all advanced to the round of 16. Part of Nigeria's Mission X is a better finish than at the last WAFCON tournament in 2022 which was won by South Africa. The Super Falcons finished fourth. 'We know why we here and the goal is to achieve our target which is to make the Mission X possible. I mean no team is a pushover here. Every team is a good team and every team wants to beat Nigeria. So we will try as much as possible to to to bring this trophy home,' goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie said during a news conference in Morocco. 'It's not going to be easy. Trust me it's not going to be easy. You guys you all saw what happened in 2022. But we've learned our lessons and we are here to do the right thing and to make sure we take the trophy back to Nigerians.' Nnadozie was recently signed by Brighton in the English Women's Super League. She is one of the standout players on the squad which includes six-time African women's player of the year Asisat Oshoala who plays in the United States for Bay FC and captain Rasheedat Ajibade who plays for Atlético Madrid. Zambia too has several of a growing number of African players who have caught the attention of foreign teams including Racheal Kundananji, Oshoala's teammate at Bay FC, and Barbra Banda who plays for the Orlando Pride. Another indication of the growth of the sport in Africa is the WAFCON prize money. The winner will pocket a tournament-high 1 million while the total prize pool is 3.475 million. 'The quality and standard of women's football in Africa is consistently improving and is world class,' the African confederation president Patrice Motsepe said before the start of the tournament. Despite the growth of the game, there are still challenges. The biennial tournament was delayed a year because Nigeria and Zambia made the field for the Paris Olympics as well as other logistical issues. The crowds at the WAFCON games have been sparse. Nigeria's Nike training jerseys got stuck in customs in Morocco so the Super Falcons had to wear old kits at practice. And there have been reports that Nigeria's players were not paid their bonuses for qualifying for the tournament. Pay disputes are nothing new to the team. Nigeria staged hotel sit-ins at both the 2019 Women's World Cup and the 2022 WAFCON to protest a lack of payments the players said they were owed by the federation. Coach Justin Madugu says his focus is on Mission X. 'It's a Herculean task having to shoulder the responsibility of managing a team as great as the Super Falcons, one of the best in Africa even globally,' he said at a tournament news conference. 'Looking at the performances over the years they have high standards and so it is not easy for one to be given such a responsibility but we're doing our best to sustain and even do better than what the team has done in the past which is our ultimate goal.'
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
In a summer full of women's soccer, the Africa Cup of Nations has intrigue
Nigeria's Mission X has an ominous sounding name but a simple meaning. The Super Falcons aim to win a 10th overall Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. The WAFCON tournament comes during a busy summer of major women's soccer tournaments across the globe, headlined by the European Championship and the Copa América Femenina in South America. Just as Spain seeks to follow its Women's World Cup title with a Euro trophy in Switzerland, and Brazil goes for a ninth Copa América title in Ecuador, the Super Falcons are among the favorites in Morocco. They even have a flashy slogan: 'This is Mission X. One Team. One Goal. One More Star." But while Nigeria emerged atop its group, its results weren't all that impressive, capped by a scoreless draw against second-place Algeria after a slim 1-0 victory over Botswana. It gets considerably more challenging in the WAFCON quarterfinals on Friday, when the Super Falcons face Zambia. With their nine African titles, the Super Falcons are the continent's most successful women's team. Nigeria has appeared in the Women's World Cup nine times and reached the quarterfinals in 1999 when the field was 16 teams. Like around the rest of the world, women's soccer is growing in Africa. At the expanded 2023 Women's World Cup, there were four African teams. In addition to Nigeria, Zambia and Morocco made their debuts and South Africa appeared for the second time. Nigeria, South Africa and upstart Morocco all advanced to the round of 16. Part of Nigeria's Mission X is a better finish than at the last WAFCON tournament in 2022, which was won by South Africa. The Super Falcons finished fourth. 'We know why we here and the goal is to achieve our target, which is to make the Mission X possible. I mean, no team is a pushover here. Every team is a good team and every team wants to beat Nigeria. So we will try as much as possible to to to bring this trophy home,' goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie said during a news conference in Morocco. 'It's not going to be easy. Trust me, it's not going to be easy. You guys you all saw what happened in 2022. But we've learned our lessons and we are here to do the right thing and to make sure we take the trophy back to Nigerians.' Nnadozie was recently signed by Brighton in the English Women's Super League. She is one of the standout players on the squad, which includes six-time African women's player of the year Asisat Oshoala, who plays in the United States for Bay FC, and captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who plays for Atlético Madrid. Zambia, too, has several of a growing number of African players who have caught the attention of foreign teams, including Racheal Kundananji, Oshoala's teammate at Bay FC, and Barbra Banda, who plays for the Orlando Pride. Another indication of the growth of the sport in Africa is the WAFCON prize money. The winner will pocket a tournament-high $1 million, while the total prize pool is $3.475 million. 'The quality and standard of women's football in Africa is consistently improving and is world class,' the African confederation president, Patrice Motsepe, said before the start of the tournament. Despite the growth of the game, there are still challenges. The biennial tournament was delayed a year because Nigeria and Zambia made the field for the Paris Olympics as well as other logistical issues. The crowds at the WAFCON games have been sparse. Nigeria's Nike training jerseys got stuck in customs in Morocco, so the Super Falcons had to wear old kits at practice. And there have been reports that Nigeria's players were not paid their bonuses for qualifying for the tournament. Pay disputes are nothing new to the team. Nigeria staged hotel sit-ins at both the 2019 Women's World Cup and the 2022 WAFCON to protest a lack of payments the players said they were owed by the federation. Coach Justin Madugu says his focus is on Mission X. 'It's a Herculean task, having to shoulder the responsibility of managing a team as great as the Super Falcons, one of the best in Africa, even globally,' he said at a tournament news conference. 'Looking at the performances over the years, they have high standards, and so it is not easy for one to be given such a responsibility, but we're doing our best to sustain and even do better than what the team has done in the past, which is our ultimate goal.' ___ AP soccer:
Associated Press
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
In a summer full of women's soccer, the Africa Cup of Nations has intrigue
Nigeria's Mission X has an ominous sounding name but a simple meaning. The Super Falcons aim to win a 10th overall Women's Africa Cup of Nations title. The WAFCON tournament comes during a busy summer of major women's soccer tournaments across the globe, headlined by the European Championship and the Copa América Femenina in South America. Just as Spain seeks to follow its Women's World Cup title with a Euro trophy in Switzerland, and Brazil goes for a ninth Copa América title in Ecuador, the Super Falcons are among the favorites in Morocco. They even have a flashy slogan: 'This is Mission X. One Team. One Goal. One More Star.' But while Nigeria emerged atop its group, its results weren't all that impressive, capped by a scoreless draw against second-place Algeria after a slim 1-0 victory over Botswana. It gets considerably more challenging in the WAFCON quarterfinals on Friday, when the Super Falcons face Zambia. With their nine African titles, the Super Falcons are the continent's most successful women's team. Nigeria has appeared in the Women's World Cup nine times and reached the quarterfinals in 1999 when the field was 16 teams. Like around the rest of the world, women's soccer is growing in Africa. At the expanded 2023 Women's World Cup, there were four African teams. In addition to Nigeria, Zambia and Morocco made their debuts and South Africa appeared for the second time. Nigeria, South Africa and upstart Morocco all advanced to the round of 16. Part of Nigeria's Mission X is a better finish than at the last WAFCON tournament in 2022, which was won by South Africa. The Super Falcons finished fourth. 'We know why we here and the goal is to achieve our target, which is to make the Mission X possible. I mean, no team is a pushover here. Every team is a good team and every team wants to beat Nigeria. So we will try as much as possible to to to bring this trophy home,' goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie said during a news conference in Morocco. 'It's not going to be easy. Trust me, it's not going to be easy. You guys you all saw what happened in 2022. But we've learned our lessons and we are here to do the right thing and to make sure we take the trophy back to Nigerians.' Nnadozie was recently signed by Brighton in the English Women's Super League. She is one of the standout players on the squad, which includes six-time African women's player of the year Asisat Oshoala, who plays in the United States for Bay FC, and captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who plays for Atlético Madrid. Zambia, too, has several of a growing number of African players who have caught the attention of foreign teams, including Racheal Kundananji, Oshoala's teammate at Bay FC, and Barbra Banda, who plays for the Orlando Pride. Another indication of the growth of the sport in Africa is the WAFCON prize money. The winner will pocket a tournament-high $1 million, while the total prize pool is $3.475 million. 'The quality and standard of women's football in Africa is consistently improving and is world class,' the African confederation president, Patrice Motsepe, said before the start of the tournament. Despite the growth of the game, there are still challenges. The biennial tournament was delayed a year because Nigeria and Zambia made the field for the Paris Olympics as well as other logistical issues. The crowds at the WAFCON games have been sparse. Nigeria's Nike training jerseys got stuck in customs in Morocco, so the Super Falcons had to wear old kits at practice. And there have been reports that Nigeria's players were not paid their bonuses for qualifying for the tournament. Pay disputes are nothing new to the team. Nigeria staged hotel sit-ins at both the 2019 Women's World Cup and the 2022 WAFCON to protest a lack of payments the players said they were owed by the federation. Coach Justin Madugu says his focus is on Mission X. 'It's a Herculean task, having to shoulder the responsibility of managing a team as great as the Super Falcons, one of the best in Africa, even globally,' he said at a tournament news conference. 'Looking at the performances over the years, they have high standards, and so it is not easy for one to be given such a responsibility, but we're doing our best to sustain and even do better than what the team has done in the past, which is our ultimate goal.' ___ AP soccer:
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Meet the sides bidding for a place in Wafcon 2024 semi-finals
After a group stage containing 45 goals and top spots for big-hitters Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa, the quarter-finals of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) are about to team won all of their first three matches, although Zambia and Algeria joined the group winners in remaining undefeated, while Ghana also progressed as runners-up despite losing their and Senegal advanced as the two best third-placed sides and are now seeking significant upsets and the reward of a place in the final playing who? When and where are the matches and what do the coaches and players make of their chances?BBC Sport Africa previews the last-eight ties coming up across the first two days of knockout stage action in Morocco. Nigeria vs Zambia (Friday, 16:00 GMT) Nine-time champions Nigeria have never failed to reach the Wafcon semi-finals but coach Justine Madugu says goals are a "concern" after scoring once since their opening game."There is no room for errors," said Madugu, backing a team who are yet to concede."We must be 100% - psychologically, physically, tactically."Zambia scored seven goals and conceded four on their way to matching Nigeria's tally of seven points, with strikers Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji notching three apiece. Banda hopes to emulate Zambia's men, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 after a fairytale run."It would be a great moment for Zambia," the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year told Newsday on the BBC World Service."Remembering 2012, this year now it can be us, the ladies, so we are hoping for that and we are aiming for it as a team."However, Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is not fazed by the threat posed by Banda and Kundananji."I've been watching them, trying to study them," she Super Falcons star said."As a goalkeeper, you need to expect anything. Trust me, I'm ready for them."The sides met at the 2022 finals, when Zambia won 1-0 to finish third. Morocco vs Mali (Friday, 19:00 GMT) A 1-0 victory over Senegal ensured Morocco's path to the final avoids Nigeria and South Africa, with four-goal captain Ghizlane Chebbak the prize candidate to trouble a Mali side who lost their third match 4-0 to South Atlas Lionesses conceded twice in each of their first two games against Zambia and DR Congo, and coach Jorge Vilda - a 2023 World Cup winner with Spain - said his players are "happy but not euphoric" after their first clean sheet of the will be hoping captain Fatoumata Karentao recovers from an injury that forced the goalkeeper to be substituted against Banyana Eagles coach Mohamed Saloum says he and his players remain determined to build on their run to the semi-finals in 2018."From the quarter-finals, we will really see the true quality of the teams," predicted Saloum, who took charge in 2017."We rely heavily on our quality. We don't care about the physical challenge or anything else." Algeria vs Ghana (Saturday, 16:00 GMT) Unbeaten Algeria are in the knockout stages for the first time under the astute tactical guidance of Farid Benstiti."I'm not surprised at all," former Lyon and Paris St-Germain boss reflected, having chosen "defensive principles" over attacking instincts to earn a 0-0 draw against Nigeria."I know the quality of these players - they are brave, very good technically and intelligent."With the Fennecs yet to concede, Benstiti acknowledged that pragmatic tactics could be required again during knockout matches."The strategy was efficient because we really wanted not to lose," the French-Algerian added."I learned a lot about my team and it will help me when I'm deciding whether to use a compact block."Ghana ended the group stage by scoring three times inside the final 28 minutes of their 4-1 win over three-time finalists are aiming to make an eighth semi-final appearance and avenge a 2-1 defeat during the 2018 group stage, when Mali advanced at their expense."We know we have the potential to go all the way," said coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren."[Towards] the end of a tournament, every game is like a final." South Africa vs Senegal (Saturday, 20:00 GMT) Helped by an exquisite free-kick from captain Refiloe Jane, South Africa's commanding win over Mali left coach Desiree Ellis praising a "statement" who has guided her team to the top of their group at the last three tournaments, is wary of a Senegal team who thrashed DR Congo before losing by a goal to Zambia and Morocco."It's one moment of magic, one moment of madness or even a mistake by someone, and that's it," warned Ellis."We have to be on top of our game... we've got to do even better."While seven different players have netted for South Africa, four of Senegal's goals have come from joint tournament top scorer Nguenar Ndiaye."The objective is to pass this milestone and reach the semi-finals for the first time," said Lionesses of Teranga coach Mame Moussa Cisse."We will study [South Africa] well and work on their qualities and strengths, but also our own qualities to rectify what was not good in the group stage, to allow us to play the right match."
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former prisoner aiming to write next chapter of redemption at The Open
Ryan Peake of Australia pictured on Friday, July 4, 2025, during the Second Round of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam(Red Course) in Rabat. The USD $2,000,000 event is staged from July 3-6, 2025. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour Australian golfer Ryan Peake is preparing to write the next chapter of his remarkable redemption story at The 153rd Open Championship this week. In March this year, the left-hander qualified for the fourth and final major of the year, at Royal Portrush, with victory at the 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport. Advertisement That first ever professional victory, on his Asian Tour debut, took place a little over 10 years after a conviction and five-year jail sentence for assault aged just 21. A promising youth golfer, Peake had lost his way and became a member of a notorious motorcycle gang in Australia. Now 31, Peake warmed up for his big date in Northern Ireland with a T33 finish behind ultimate champion Scott Vincent at International Series Morocco, the fourth of 10 elevated Asian Tour events that offer a pathway onto the LIV Golf League. Things could have been even better too – Peake sat T12 following a five-under third round of 68. It's a remarkable recovery, from the lows of incarceration to the highs of elite competitive golf against some of the world's best. It is one that may not have happened at all had Peake not been contacted by former coach Ritchie Smith while in jail. Smith, who works with fellow Australians such as PGA Tour winner Min Woo Lee and sister Minjee Lee, a three-time major champion among others, wrote to Peake while in prison to offer words of encouragement for a player he had worked with as a 17-year-old. Peake responded with an apologetic letter of his own, and from that point on, his future changed. Ryan Peake of Australia pictured on Sunday , July 6, 2025, during the Fourth Round of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam(Red Course) in Rabat. The USD $2,000,000 event is staged from July 3-6, 2025. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour (Steve Bardens) Peake explained: 'For someone of his calibre to reach out to someone like me and pretty much drag me out of the trenches, you know, it doesn't speak volumes on me, it speaks volumes on him.' Advertisement 'There was obviously a lot of changes that we had to make, there were vigorous programmes set out. It was up to about a five-year plan, and, yes, he believed we could do it. He pretty much worked out the mapping and the planning of what we were going to do, and I just stuck with it.' Peake admits the mental aspect was the more challenging as he plotted his climb back to the top following his eventual release in 2019. It took a number of years and a lot of sacrifices and graft before he earned full playing privileges on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia for the 2024-2025 season, and that life-changing victory in New Zealand. He said: 'I had already got pretty fit in there, so it was more just mental - basically going from not having any real aspirations in life to then trying to basically tell yourself, while still in prison, that you are going to become a professional golfer. You know there's a bit of mental work to get there.' 'Your team can only push you so far and tell you so much, and the rest of it, you have to start to believe in it yourself. It did take me some time, but I got there in the end!' Advertisement The left-hander was full of praise for the opportunities being offered by the Asian Tour and The International Series. He said: 'At the moment, I'm fresh out here on the Asian Tour.' 'Events like these (International Series Morocco) attract high profile names. You are on the Asian Tour, which is a great tour, but then when you have major champions playing as well, and the elevated prize purses, it just gives it that added significance. These 10 events are growing the Asian Tour massively.' 'I'm out here trying to play the best golf that I can, and whatever those pathways provide me, the more the merrier. Definitely, I'm chasing every single pathway that there is.' Looking ahead to his chances in Northern Ireland this week, he added: 'A lot of this stuff wasn't on the programme. But, you know, obviously I am excited to play. I don't think I really know how big it is, to be honest, but obviously once I get there and sort of have a bit of a look around, it'll probably hit me a little bit more.' Advertisement Teeing it up alongside Peake are three players from the LIV Golf League who earned their places via the Open Qualifying Series at International Series Macau presented by Wynn. Macau champion Carlos Ortiz, the Torque GC player, is joined by 2018 Masters champion and 4Aces GC star Patrick Reed plus Jason Kokrak of Smash GC for the tournament which gets underway on Thursday. Building on his victory in Macau, Ortiz has continued to impress with a T4 finish at the U.S. Open and three top-10 performances in Miami, Korea, and Virginia. Reed has also been in red-hot form since then, placing third at this year's Masters and securing a win at LIV Golf Dallas. Kokrak, meanwhile, recently posted a solid T10 finish in Andalucía ahead of the final Major of the year.
