By Opeyemi Adelakun
Nigeria’s hopes of retaining the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title have ended after the Super Falcons suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The decisive moment came in the 19th minute when Myriam Maéva Nyadjou Wamen produced a superb free-kick to put Cameroon ahead.
Nigeria responded by pushing forward in search of an equaliser, but the Super Falcons struggled to convert their opportunities as Cameroon held firmly to their advantage.
Despite their efforts to force the game into extra time, the defending champions were unable to breach the Cameroonian defence before the final whistle.
The result ends Nigeria’s bid to retain the trophy they won against Morocco at the previous edition of the competition.
For Justine Madugu’s side, the defeat represents a major disappointment after entering the tournament as defending champions.
The Super Falcons, however, still have another important fixture ahead.
Nigeria will take on South Africa in Casablanca on Thursday, with a place in the Inter-Confederation playoff tournament at stake.
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