Super Falcons face off against Banyana Banyana in first leg of Olympic qualifier

(NFF) – Africa’s top-ranked team, Nigeria, will host the reigning African champions, South Africa, in the first leg of their Women’s Olympic Football Tournament final qualifying fixture at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on Friday, 5 April 2024.

The encounter at Nigeria’s capital’s magnificent facility will kick off at 4 pm, with Algerian referee Ghada Mehat officiating. Mehat’s compatriots, Asma Feriel Ouahab and Lamia Atman, will be in the roles of assistant referee 1 and fourth official, respectively, while Mariem Cheddad from Mauritania will serve as assistant referee 2.

Senegalese Fadouma Dia, a former FIFA referee, will be the referee assessor, while Ghanaian Christine Ziga will serve as commissioner.

For the return leg scheduled for South Africa (venue to be decided) on Tuesday, 9th April, the Confederation of African Football has appointed Tunisian official Dorsaf Ganouati as the referee. She will be assisted by compatriots Houda Afine (assistant referee 1) and Emna Ajbouni (fourth official), with Egyptian Yara Atef Abdelfattah as assistant referee 2.

Agar Mezing from Cameroon will be the referee assessor, while Cindy Dludlu from eSwatini will be the commissioner.

The Super Falcons saw off the challenge of Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses in the penultimate round of the race, with a single goal over the two legs scored by Esther Okoronkwo at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, while Banyana Banyana trounced Tanzania 4-0 over two legs in Dar es Salaam and Nelspruit.

The winner over two legs in early April will join 15 other senior women’s teams from across the globe for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament starting in Paris on 16th July.