Falcons lock horns with Lionesses in AWCON final in Yaounde

The Super Falcons of Nigeria are set to reverse the pin-fall handed the Super Eagles 16 years ago by the Indomitable Lions, in front of home fans during the final of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations competition.

The Falcons will trade tackles with their Cameroonian counterpart in a packed National Stadium in Yaounde on Saturday.

During the 2000 encounter, the Lions showed no love as they raced to a 2-0 lead with goals from Samuel Eto’o Fils and Patrick Mboma. 

Raphael Ndukwe had reduced the tally just before half time and Jay Jay Okocha had slammed in a long-range equalizer just after the restart.

But Nigeria lost following a dramatic penalty shoot-out, in which Tunisian referee Mourad Daami ruled Victor Ikpeba’s kick that bounced behind goalkeeper Alioum Boukar a no-goal.

Saturday is an opportunity for pay –back, even though these are the women.

The Falcons are unlikely to forget that the Lions also beat the Super Eagles in the Cup of Nations final of 1984 and 1988, and stopped Nigeria from going to the 1990 FIFA World Cup after winning 1-0 in Yaounde when the Eagles needed a draw.

The Lionesses themselves will recall how the Falcons badgered them to a 2-0 defeat in Windhoek in the final of the last edition.

Also how the Eagles bundled then Cup holders Cameroon out at the quarter final stage of the 2004 Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

The Falcons have never lost a Cup of Nations final match, winning in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2014.

Details of the match will follow…

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