AWCON 2016: Nigeria Game Like A Final, Says South African Midfielder
Ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final clash at the 2016 Caf African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), South African female midfielder Nompulelelo Nyandeni has said that playing against the Super Falcons is always like a cup final.
Nigeria will be looking to reach the final of the tournament when they play Bayana Bayana in the last four of the 2016 AWCON at 7pm on Tuesday, 29 November at Stade Limbe Omnisport in Cameroon.
Nigeria booked their place as Group B winners after thumping Kenya 4-1 on Saturday, while Banyana booked cruised into the last four with a 5-0 demolition of Egypt.
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“It is always a battle of the best when we face Nigeria. The rivalry between us started long before our days in the national team, and playing against the Super Falcons is always like a cup final, regardless of the stage of the tournament. In any case once you are in the last four you can’t pick and choose.
Those teams did not get there by fluke, and to get to the top you have to go past them,” Nyandeni said.
“It is not going to be an easy game and I am confident we can walk away with victory. We have beaten them before and, to do that again, we will have to play as a team. It took us three matches to start scoring goals in this tournament, so our confidence levels are on a high after the win against Egypt.”
Nyandeni was quick to point out that her teammates are well prepared for the clash, with the rivalry dating back many years.
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“We have been watching their matches since the start of the tournament, and will now analyse them with the technical team. They are a very balanced side, just like us, and they are not impossible to beat. If we settle early in the match, and follow our game tactics, then I believe we stand a good chance of overcoming them.”
Host Cameroun will slug it out with Ghana in the first semi-final clash at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, by 4pm local time.
