AWCON 2022 Qualifiers: Nigeria to face Ghana, Rekindles Rivalry
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has ignited the rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana by setting the Super Falcons against the Black Queens in the first round of the 2022 African Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.
In the first round qualifying draw which took place yesterday at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, some of the powerhouses of the women’s game in the continent are to be eliminated in this new format introduced by the Ahmad administration..
With the host nation, Morocco guaranteed an automatic place in the biennial competition, the other 44 teams are to slug it out for the 11 places in the qualifying series for the continental showpiece.
Nigeria has won the championship a record 11 times, while Ghana has taken the silver medal three times.
The 44-nation entry is 20 more than the women’s teams that were involved in the preliminaries of the last edition in Ghana in 2018.
The draws that pit Super Falcons against the Black Queens will be the second time the two giants in African women’s football will be meeting in the competition history.
Speaking about the draw, Nigeria’s American Coach, Randy Waldrum said: “I think you always embrace the challenge.
“Obviously the draw is difficult. We have a lot of respect for Ghana and we know the strength and power of that team, but as far as the pressure of the job and the task at hand, I think that’s something that any competitor truly embraces and you know I think the biggest thing for me is I’m just ready to get to work,”
In other first-round games, Uganda will meet Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan will clash, Eritrea is paired with Burundi, while Djibouti will tango with Rwanda.
Other matches pit Malawi against Zambia, Tanzania versus Namibia, Zimbabwe against Eswatini, Angola will tackle Botswana, just as Mozambique has a date with South Africa.
Algeria is paired with Sudan, Egypt will confront Tunisia, a former champion, Equatorial Guinea will meet DR Congo, Sao Tome, and Principe is up against Togo, Congo faces Gabon, the Central African Republic versus Cameroun, Sierra Leone will battle with Gambia, Liberia has a date with Senegal, while Mali and Guinea will battle for a second round ticket.
There is a battle of two teams that have never qualified for the AWCON when Guinea Bissau meets Mauritania over two legs, just as Benin Republic will try to make their first outing at the competition when it meets Burkina Faso.
Cote d’Ivoire, who may meet Nigeria in the second qualifying round if the Super Falcons overcome Black Queens, first has to beat Niger Republic to make that happen.
Tobi Sangotola
