historic qualification for the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final:

NEWSOTHER NEWSSPORT

7/23/20252 min read

Here's a more comprehensive breakdown of Morocco's historic qualification for the 2025 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final:

Match Details: Semi-Final vs. Ghana

Key Moments in the Semi-Final:

Ghana took the lead: Stella Nyamekye scored for Ghana in the 26th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Josephine Bonsu's header was saved.
Morocco equalized: Sakina Ouzraoui leveled the score for Morocco in the 55th minute with a composed strike. She showed great anticipation to get to a looping ball and slot it past the diving Ghanaian goalkeeper.
Goalkeeper Heroics: Moroccan goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi was instrumental in the penalty shootout, making a crucial save against Comfort Yeboah's attempt to seal Morocco's victory. Evelyn Badu also missed her penalty for Ghana, firing wide.
Clinical Penalties: Morocco demonstrated perfect composure in the shootout, converting all four of their penalties through Hanane Ait El Haj, Ibtissam Jraidi, Kenza Chapelle, and Anissa Lahmari.

The Road to the Final:

Morocco advanced to the semifinals after a 3-1 victory over Mali in the quarterfinals.
Ghana had reached the semi-finals by defeating Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw in their quarterfinal match.
In the other semi-final, Nigeria, the nine-time WAFCON champions, defeated defending champions South Africa 2-1 in a dramatic match in Casablanca, setting up the highly anticipated final against Morocco. Rasheedat Ajibade scored a penalty for Nigeria, Linda Motlhalo equalized for South Africa with another penalty, and Michelle Alozie scored a late winner for Nigeria.

The Final Showdown:

Historical Significance for Morocco:

This marks Morocco's second consecutive WAFCON final on home soil. They reached the final in 2022 but ultimately lost to South Africa.
The "Atlas Lionesses" are aiming to win their first-ever continental title in this tournament, which would be a monumental achievement for Moroccan women's football.
Morocco has shown significant progress in recent years. They made their first-ever appearance at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023 and remarkably advanced to the Round of 16, further highlighting their rising prominence in international football.
Hosting WAFCON for the second consecutive time underscores Morocco's commitment to and investment in women's football, positioning itself as a key hub for the sport in Africa.

The Opponent: Nigeria

Nigeria's Super Falcons are the most successful team in WAFCON history, with a record nine titles.
They will be looking to secure their unprecedented tenth WAFCON crown, adding another chapter to their dominant legacy.