Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Agency Report
Published on 2024-04-09 09:38:48
Nigeria’s clash with South Africa in Pretoria on Tuesday carries the weight of a longstanding record – Nigeria has never lost to South Africa in senior women’s football matches played in South Africa. The history of their encounters dates back to March 19, 1995, when the Super Falcons dominated the Banyana Banyana with a 7-1 victory on South African soil during a 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying match. Since then, the gap between the two teams has narrowed, but South Africa is still seeking their first win over Nigeria in their home country.
Out of the 24 previous meetings between the two teams, with seven games played in South Africa, Nigeria boasts 15 wins, five draws, and four losses to South Africa. Notable victories for South Africa include wins in Bata, Equatorial Guinea (1-0 in the 2012 Women AFCON), Cape Coast, Ghana (1-0 in the 2018 Women AFCON), Lagos, Nigeria (4-2 in the Aisha Buhari Cup), and Rabat, Morocco (2-1 in the 2022 Women AFCON).
Within South Africa, Nigeria has triumphed in five matches and drawn in two. The two instances where South Africa managed to avoid defeat against Nigeria on their home turf were in a friendly match in 2004 and an Olympic qualifier in 2012. Despite this, Nigeria has maintained dominance in most encounters within South Africa.
The Super Falcons’ squad arrived in Pretoria for the crucial match, poised to continue their unbeaten streak against South Africa on foreign soil. The team settled into their hotel on Monday and geared up for an official training session at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium ahead of the match on Tuesday night.
The upcoming match is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m. South African time (6:30 p.m. Nigerian time). Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who has been instrumental in previous matches against South Africa, scored Nigeria’s last two goals against the Banyana Banyana. She netted a goal in a recent defeat in Rabat and converted a crucial penalty in a previous victory in Abuja.
The head-to-head history between Nigeria and South Africa is filled with memorable encounters dating back to 1995. The matches have seen both teams emerge victorious at different points, but Nigeria’s dominance is evident in the overall statistics.
This rich history gives context to the significance of the upcoming match between these two African powerhouses. As they take to the field in Pretoria, Nigeria will aim to uphold their unbeaten record against South Africa on their home turf while the Banyana Banyana will seek to secure a historic first win over the Super Falcons in a senior women’s football match in South Africa.
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