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Just when it looked like Nigeria's record nine-year streak as the Women's African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) champions would end, the Super Falcons pulled off a shocking come-from-behind 3-2 victory over home nation Morocco to reach the historic feat of 10-straight tournament wins. Substitute midfielder Jennifer Echegini knocked in the 88th-minute game-winner to cap off the second-half surge at a packed Olympic Stadium in Rabat.
Down 2-0, star forward Esther Okoronkwo led Nigeria's successful comeback attempt with a score on a VAR-awarded penalty kick in the 64th minute before Folashade Ijamilusi and Echegini sealed the WAFCON win. Okoronkwo told Nigeria's Sports247 how she felt after spearheading the second-half bounce-back.
“I feel happy, and I feel fulfilled. Like every other Nigerian, I am really delighted. The first half was unfortunate for us, and we were not really playing well,” Okoronkwo said. “It was one of those things that happen in football. But when we went into the locker room, we knew we had to come back with the spirit of victory.
“We had the fighting spirit, and we knew we were going to come back in the second half,” Okoronkwo added. “It was all or nothing for us.”
WHAT A COMEBACK! 🇳🇬
Jennifer Echegini scores in the final minutes. Putting Nigeria ahead in the #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2024 final! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/XJyeGhAryx
— CAF Women’s Football (@CAFwomen) July 26, 2025
The Super Falcons had to recover from repeated defensive lapses in the first half that Morocco's Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaâ Mssoudy took advantage of to put points on the board. When discussing what went into their resurgence, Okoronkwo's teammates echoed her feelings.
“We spoke about it before the tournament,” defender Ashleigh Plumptre detailed to The Athletic. “Our team has an engine. When teams get tired, that's when we can pounce. In the second half, Morocco looked tired, and we got on top of them.”
Ultimately, it might be midfielder Christy Ucheibe who summed up the team's sentiment best.
“We said at halftime that we needed to go out there and show them we are Super Falcons. And we did,” she added. “I don't know how to describe it, but the feeling is out of the world.”
Okoronkwo, who plays for AFC Toronto, is one of multiple international stars who made up the record-championship-winning Super Falcons. Echegini recently transferred to Paris Saint-Germain in the Women's Premier League from Juventus, captain Rasheedat Ajibade is stationed with Atlético Madrid, and Michelle Alozie and Asisat Oshoala both play in the NWSL for the Houston Dash and Bay FC, respectively.
