Women’s U-20 team, Falconets, emerged champions of the football tournament of the 12th African Games in Rabat on Thursday after a pulsating 3-2 penalty shoot-out triumph over Cameroon.
The keenly-contested game ended 0-0 after full and extra time at the Stade Boubker Aamar, outside Rabat. Penalty shoot-out followed and the Nigeria U20 girls, one of only four teams to have featured in every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup since the competition started 17 years ago, triumphed.
The victory was the first gold for the Falconets at the African Games in 12 years, having not qualified for the 10th edition in Mozambique in 2011 and finishing outside the medals’ range in Brazzaville four years ago.
It was also a fitting accomplishment to bid bye to the first captain of the Falconets team, Ifeanyichukwu Chiejine, whose remains were committed to mother earth in Lagos on the same day.
Meanwhile, Nigeria have moved to second position on the medals’ table after overtaking South Africa.
Nigeria, who are placed second behind Egypt, won 103 medals comprising of 40 gold, 28 silver and 35 bronze medals.