Live Commentary: Nigeria 0-0 South Africa (AWCON FINAL)

Hello, good afternoon and welcome to Nigerianeye's coverage of the closing ceremony and the grand finale of the 2018 Women’s AFCON staged in Ghana.

After two weeks of grueling and exciting football, South Africa’s Bayana Bayana and the Super Falcons of Nigeria go toe to toe to see who will be crowned Queens of African football.

Banyana Banyana of South Africa coach, Desiree Ellis, believes her team can beat the Super Falcons again to lift their first ever Africa Women Cup of Nations.

The South African coach said with a good team and good planning, they will prove to be the banana peel that will cause the defending champions to slip in the tournament.




In their opening group B game, Nigeria dominated the South Africans, but couldn’t find the punch, until Thembi Kgatlana scored and put the game beyond the reach of the Falcons.

“We will work together as a team and plan again. And hope to execute the plan because that’s all it is about. We have never won the Women’s AFCON and we are going to give it a shot and see what happens,” said Ellis.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

SOUTH AFRICA: Swart, Ramalepe, Van Wyk, Mbane, Vlakazi, Makhabane, Smeda, Motlhalo, Ndimeni, Kgatlana, Seoposenwe

NIGERIA: Oluehi, Chukwunonye, Ohale, Ebi, Ebere, Okobi, Chikwelu, Oshoala, Ayinde, Ordega, Ajibade




23' Ordega almost breaks away down the right flank as she collects Chikwelu’s offload. Swart reads the danger and was at alert to deny Ajibade from giving the Nigeria the lead. A vital save from the goalkeeper

21' Thembi Kgatlana and Asisat Oshoala are the two players who've dominated the discussions this week but we're yet to see much from either of the pair. Medics attending to Swart after clashing wit Ordega

19' MISS: Asisat Oshoala heads wide Ngozi Okobi’s corner-kick as the Super Falcons are gradually getting into the game in Accra

17' Dennerby’s side patient when they get the ball, whereas South Africa are looking to immediately hit to exploit any space. With full-backs flying forward for both sides, it could be the wide areas where the best opportunities are crafted.

15' Asisat Oshoala tries to beat Seoposenwe but it ends up with the Falcons winning a throw-in. Quickly taken as Nigeria mount a serious pressure on Banyana backline but that counts for nothing

13' Ngozi Okobi wins a goal kick for Nigeria after Oluehi had prevented the South Africans from taking the lead. She is up for a busy evening against these dominating Banyana

11' Chukwunonye makes an interception on the right flank and Seoposenwe surges at the Nigeria backline. Freekick to South Africa

9' Nigeria are struggling to cope with South Africa’s high press at the moment and Dennerby’s side cannot play their way out of the defence. It remains to be seen whether the South Africans can make their early pressure count.

7' A poor corner-kick taken by Makhabane and a failed attempt for the Banyana Banyana to take the lead. The Super Falcons look so organised at the rear so far

5' Ndimeni’s attempts to provide pressure on the Nigeria backline result in Rita Chikwelu winning possession and launches an attacking move

3' South Africa have the game's first threatening attack, as goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi has been forced to make three saves. Nigeria attack now and Oshoala’s shot is saved by Swart

1' We're underway in the Africa Women Cup of Nations final and South Africa will the kickoff