Nigeria, South Africa rivalry headlines Women’s AFCON Morocco 2022 group stage
Women’s AFCON trophy on display at the venue of the draw in Rabat. (Photo by CAFWomen/Twitter)
LAUSANNE, April 30, 2022 – Nigeria and South Africa will rekindle their rivalry in Group C of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, as decided at a draw conducted on April 29 in Morocco, where the tournament will take place from 2-23 July in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca.
Moroccan Olympic legend Nawal El Moutawakel and Cameroonian football star Ajara Njoya assisted CAF Competitions Director Samson Adamu with the draw on Friday night in Rabat.
Holders Nigeria beat South Africa 4-3 on penalties, following a 0-0 draw, to lift the Women’s AFCON trophy in Accra, Ghana four years ago - this was after the nine-time champions had lost to their South African counterparts in the group stage of the same edition.
Joining them in Group C are first-time qualifiers Burundi and Botswana. The head coach of The head coach of Burundi, Gustave Niyonkuru, is looking forward to the challenge of playing against Nigeria. He told CAFonline “it will be a good experience for my players”. Niyonkuru added: “First, it is an honour to be among the countries that will participate in the tournament. I know that for us this is the first time, but we shall try our best to perform well.”
Hosts Morocco will take on debutants Burkina Faso in the opening match of the tournament at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat. The match will kick off at 21:00 GMT. Senegal and Uganda complete the line-up in Group A. And Group B is made up of Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia and debutants Togo.
Ajara Njoya, who plays club football in the Serie A Femminile with Inter Milan said Cameroon have been coveting the Women’s AFCON trophy for years. “It will be the 5th time that I will participate in a Women’s AFCON. I know that Cameroonians are waiting for this trophy. It's true, it's not easy because there are many great nations that are there too.”
The semi-finalists at the tournament will earn automatical tickets to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be staged in Australia and New Zealand, while two other sides will enter a 10-team intercontinental play-off which will decide the final three World Cup spots.
The Women’s AFCON is making a return after four years - the 2020 edition was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year the tournament will feature 12 teams for the first time and will also be held in North Africa for the first time.
Morocco coach, Renayld Pedros, has stated that the target for the hosts is to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. “Our goal? For a little over a year and a half, it has been clear: it is to do well in this WAFCON, it is to qualify at least for the semi-finals, to go to the World Cup. And afterwards, if we are in the semi-finals, if we are lucky enough to be there, everything will be possible. Everything will be allowed to us in any case.”
Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2022 draw result
Group A: Morocco, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Uganda
Group B: Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia, Togo
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Burundi, Botswana
Click here for the group stage fixtures
Moroccan Olympic legend Nawal El Moutawakel and Cameroonian football star Ajara Njoya assisted CAF Competitions Director Samson Adamu with the draw on Friday night in Rabat.
Holders Nigeria beat South Africa 4-3 on penalties, following a 0-0 draw, to lift the Women’s AFCON trophy in Accra, Ghana four years ago - this was after the nine-time champions had lost to their South African counterparts in the group stage of the same edition.
Joining them in Group C are first-time qualifiers Burundi and Botswana. The head coach of The head coach of Burundi, Gustave Niyonkuru, is looking forward to the challenge of playing against Nigeria. He told CAFonline “it will be a good experience for my players”. Niyonkuru added: “First, it is an honour to be among the countries that will participate in the tournament. I know that for us this is the first time, but we shall try our best to perform well.”
Hosts Morocco will take on debutants Burkina Faso in the opening match of the tournament at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat. The match will kick off at 21:00 GMT. Senegal and Uganda complete the line-up in Group A. And Group B is made up of Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia and debutants Togo.
Ajara Njoya, who plays club football in the Serie A Femminile with Inter Milan said Cameroon have been coveting the Women’s AFCON trophy for years. “It will be the 5th time that I will participate in a Women’s AFCON. I know that Cameroonians are waiting for this trophy. It's true, it's not easy because there are many great nations that are there too.”
The semi-finalists at the tournament will earn automatical tickets to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be staged in Australia and New Zealand, while two other sides will enter a 10-team intercontinental play-off which will decide the final three World Cup spots.
The Women’s AFCON is making a return after four years - the 2020 edition was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year the tournament will feature 12 teams for the first time and will also be held in North Africa for the first time.
Morocco coach, Renayld Pedros, has stated that the target for the hosts is to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. “Our goal? For a little over a year and a half, it has been clear: it is to do well in this WAFCON, it is to qualify at least for the semi-finals, to go to the World Cup. And afterwards, if we are in the semi-finals, if we are lucky enough to be there, everything will be possible. Everything will be allowed to us in any case.”
Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2022 draw result
Group A: Morocco, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Uganda
Group B: Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia, Togo
Group C: Nigeria, South Africa, Burundi, Botswana
Click here for the group stage fixtures
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