Nigeria will tackle South Africa in a cracker of a match in Pretoria on Tuesday night with the mindset of sustaining a record of never having lost to their host in that country in senior women’s football.
The Banyana Banyana have closed the gap since March 19, 1995 when Nigeria’s Super Falcons humiliated them 7-1.
This was 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.
Also Read:
- 17,000 jostle for 2,500 Abia teaching jobs
- LAUTECH workers protest ‘sudden’ salary reduction
- IPI, MRA issue resource guide on instruments protecting press freedom
- 14-year-old girl docked over alleged N4m theft
- Ondo governor sacks two female media aides
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, Ghana.
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 March 12, 2004 (Athens Olympics qualifier, which ended 2-2) and a friendly match on June 3, 2012 that ended 1-1.
The Super Falcons’ delegation for Tuesday’s all-important match arrived in Pretoria on Monday morning, and have settled down in their hotel ahead of their official training at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Monday night.
Tuesday’s match will kick off at 7:30pm South African time (6.30pm Nigeria time).
Nigeria’s last two goals against the Banyana have been scored by captain Rasheedat Ajibade.
She got the consolation goal in the 2-1 defeat by the arch rivals in Rabat on July 4, 2022, and also converted the penalty that accounted for the win over the visitors in Abuja on Friday evening.
Falcons, Banyana in history
4 March 1995: Nigeria 4 South Africa 1 (World Cup qualifier)
19 March 1995: South Africa 1 Nigeria 7 (World Cup qualifier)
25 November 2000: South Africa 0 Nigeria 2 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
18 December 2002: Nigeria 5 South Africa 0 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
30 March 2003: South Africa 0 Nigeria 3 (Friendly)
11 October 2003: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (African Games)
12 March 2004: South Africa 2 Nigeria 2 (Olympic Games qualifier)
28 March 2004: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (Olympic Games qualifier)
9 July 2007: South Africa 2 Nigeria 2 (African Games)
18 July 2007: South Africa 0 Nigeria 4 (African Games)
28 July 2008: Nigeria 5 South Africa 0 (Olympic Games qualifier)
12 August 2008: South Africa 0 Nigeria 1 (Olympic Games qualifier)
22 November 2008: South Africa 0 Nigeria 1 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
4 November 2010: South Africa I Nigeria 2 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
3 June 2012: South Africa 1 Nigeria 1 (Friendly)
23 June 2012: Nigeria 0 South Africa 0 (Friendly)
7 November 2012: South Africa 1 Nigeria 0 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
22 October 2014: South Africa 1 Nigeria 2 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
29 November 2016: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
18 November 2018: South Africa 1 Nigeria 0 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
1 December 2018: Nigeria 0 South Africa 0. Nigeria triumphed 4-3 penalties (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
21 September 2021: Nigeria 2 South Africa 4 (Aisha Buhari Cup)
4 July 2022: South Africa 2 Nigeria 1 (Women Africa Cup of Nations)
5 April 2024: Nigeria 1 South Africa 0 (Olympic Games qualifier).
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
