By Wale Mustapha
Morocco women’s national team head coach Jorge Vilda believes home advantage could be the decisive factor as his side prepares to face Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday.
Vilda, who guided the Atlas Lionesses to a second straight WAFCON final, is hoping to go one step further this time after narrowly losing the 2022 title to South Africa.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, the Spanish tactician said the energy of home fans in Rabat could spur his team to a historic first continental triumph.
“I say it again, it is a game and a final. We play at home. We play with our fans. Our players have a lot of desire and enthusiasm to make history,” Vilda said.
While acknowledging the pedigree of the Super Falcons—who are chasing a record-extending 10th WAFCON title—Vilda emphasized the hunger and determination of his squad.
“A team with a very high mid-level. It is a team that not only has physically strong players, but also different players on an individual level. They also have experience in other competitions,” he said of Nigeria.
“We are here to make history. They have it inside, and that is what we are going to try to do,” he added.
Nigeria will enter the final as favorites, but Morocco—bolstered by strong home support and a desire to win their first title—are expected to present a formidable challenge.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
