The 2024 women’s Africa Cup of Nations enters the last eight knockout stages on Friday as nine-time champions Nigeria face Zambia in Casablanca and hosts Morocco entertain Mali at the Stade Olympique in Rabat.
On Saturday in Berkane, Algeria play Ghana and defending champions South Africa take on Senegal in Oujda.
“It’s the knockout stages and a matter of trying to stay composed,” South Africa defender Lebohang Ramalepe told Cafonline after the 4-0 win over Mali in the final game in Group C on 12 July.
Ramalepe was deemed player of the match after marshalling the defence and setting up two of the goals at the Honneur Stadium in Oujda.
“We have to play our normal game against Senegal,” added the 33-year-old. “And we have to make sure we convert our chances. Then we will be heading to the semi-finals.”
Nigeria’s interim boss Justine Madugu highlighted his side’s lack of precision following the 0-0 draw against Algeria in the final game of Group B.
“Before the tournament, the strikers were playing games and scoring a lot of goals,” said Madugu.
“But during this competition, goal-scoring has become a challenge for us. We don’t have much time to work on that but it is an area that is becoming a cause of concern and worry for us.
“On saying that, the players have done well to get us into the last eight and they have done well. I have been impressed with them.”
Madugu, 61, took over as head coach following the departure of Randy Waldrum last September.
He will be attempting to take the Super Falcons – as they are nicknamed – to a 10th title since the inception of the competition in its present format in 1998.
“From when the schedules come out, you have to anticipate who you might come up against and possible plans,” Madugu added.
“We have watched some of Zambia’s games and we will look at their strengths and weaknesses just as they’ll be looking at our good and bad points.”
Raucous home support
The tournament was scheduled to take place in July 2024 but was delayed to avoid a clash with the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The postponement has allowed organisers to spruce up venues which will be used during the men’s Cup of Nations in December and January 2026.
In that competition, Morocco’s men will attempt to improve on a disappointing run to the last-16 at the 2023 Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
Their female counterparts will be seeking more excellence.
Three years ago, at a packed Complex Sportif Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat, Morocco beat Botswana to reach the semi-finals at the women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.
With that event being used as the qualifying competition for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Morocco advanced to that tournament for the first time where they progressed through the group stages before losing to France in the last-16.
Morocco skipper Ghizlane Chebbak will go into Friday night’s game hoping to continue her quest for the “Golden Boot” as the tournament’s best scorer.
As well as notching up four goals in the group stage games against Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Senegal, she was also among the players named in the “team of the group stages”
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Analysts from the Confederation of African Football, which organises the biennial tournament, hailed the 34-year-old for her vision, passing accuracy, and ability to control the pace of play.
Chebbak, along with with World Cup-winning head coach Jorge Vilda, will be expected to steer Morocco to glory three years after losing to South Africa in the 2022 final.
“What we’re feeling is more than pressure,” said Vilda who took Spain to success at the 2023 women’s World Cup.
“It’s above all a great desire to do well,” the 43-year-old Spaniard added.
“We put a certain amount of pressure on ourselves on a daily basis to work well. But it’s not a negative pressure. It’s a privilege to have that pressure, because it means we have a good team, and we know we can achieve great things. That’s what we’re fighting for.”