Super Falcons of Nigeria have booked a place in the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, after forcing the Bayana Bayana of South Africa to a goalless draw in Pretoris South Africa yesterday.
The senior female team qualified on 1-0 aggregate, having won the first leg played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja by a lone goal.
The lone goal, a penalty, was scored by Rasheedat Ajibade, and the mind set ahead of the Pretoria was to sustain a record of never having lost to South Africa in that country in senior women’s football.
The gap has become much closer since 19th March 1995, when the Super Falcons humiliated the Banyana 7-1 in front of their own fans in Johannesburg in a 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying match. Yet, the fact remains that the Banyana are still looking for a first win over the Falcons in any match played in South Africa.
In 24 previous encounters (with seven played in South Africa), Nigeria have won 15, with five ending in draws and South Africa winning on four occasions. One of the drawn games was the final match of the 11th Women Africa Cup of Nations, which Nigeria eventually won 4-3 after a penalty shootout in Accra.
South Africa’s four wins have been in Bata, Equatorial Guinea (1-0, 2012 Women AFCON); Cape Coast, Ghana (1-0, 2018 Women AFCON); Lagos, Nigeria (4-2, Aisha Buhari Cup) and; Rabat, Morocco (2-1, 2022 Women AFCON).
Of the seven previous encounters inside South Africa, Nigeria have won five, drawing two. The only times the Banyana have been able to hold the Falcons in South Africa were on 12th March 2004 (Athens Olympics qualifier which ended 2-2) and a friendly match on 3rd June 2012 that ended 1-1.
Super Falcons will play in Group C at the Olympics against Spain, Japan and Brazil
