The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated Super Falcons’ forward Rasheedat Ajibade for emerging as the joint top-scorer of the just-ended 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.
The Super Falcons earned a ticket to the FIFA World Cup finals despite failing to realize its ambition of a 10th triumph.
The Nigerian squad lost to Zambia in their bid to win a consolatory bronze medal without key players such as Ajibade, Halimatu Ayinde and captain Onome Ebi.
Atletico Madrid star Ajibade ended the 12th edition of WAFCON with three goals, the same number of goals as Moroccan captain Ghizlane Chebbak and South Africa’s Hilda Magaia.
Sanusi, however, congratulated Ajibade following her feat in Morocco.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi said: “We rejoice with Rasheedat Ajibade for her emergence as joint top-scorer of the tournament and we implore her to continue to show even more prolificacy and commitment in the jerseys of club and country. Her three goals surely helped the Super Falcons to win a World Cup ticket. Our team would certainly have been in the Final if not for the incident that led to her expulsion in the semi final match against the host nation.
“She probably would have won the award outright if she finished the game and played one more match.”
Sanusi also congratulated Mimisen Calvin-Onwuka, who played the role of Assistant Referee 1 in the Final match between Morocco and South Africa on Saturday, saying her stellar performance alongside referee Salima Mukansanga from Rwanda did not go unnoticed by the global football community.
WAFCON 2022 was won by South Africa on Saturday July 23. The Banyana Banyana beat host Morocco 2-1 to officially dethrone Nigeria’s Super Falcons as the new queens of football on the continent.
