Latest news with #GabrielaSalgado
IOL News
4 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Banyana Banyana's journey ends in heartbreak as they lose to Ghana in Wafcon play-off
Banyana Banyana will return from the Women's Africa Cup of Nations with their tails between their legs after finishing fourth in Morocco. Banyana lost 4-3 to Ghana on penalties in the third/fourth place play-off after the match had ended 1-1 in regulation time at Stade El Arbi Zaouli on Friday night. Banyana were not at their best at the event as they relinquished their title after their triumph in the same country, Morocco, three years ago. A bronze medal would have served as a consolation for Banyana, dedication for Gabriela Salgado, who's injured, and farewell gesture for Jermaine Seoposenwe who is retiring from international football. But it wasn't to be. Banyana had come into this match high on confidence, despite losing 2-1 to Nigeria in the semi-final, having beaten Ghana 2-0 in the opening. As such, coach Desiree Ellis had made five changes to the team that lost to the Super Falcons, resting some players and giving others a chance.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Ghana and South Africa battle for bronze medal for Wafcon 2024
Di black queens of Ghana and di Banyana Banyana of South Africa jam for di second time for dis 2024 Wafcon on Friday 25 July. Di two teams dey battle for third place afta dem both fail to reach di final - Super Falcons of Nigeria bin comot South Africa, wey hosts Morocco don comot Ghana for di semifinals. Di final na between record holders Nigeria (wey bin win di trophy nine times) and Morocco (wey neva win am bifor). But bifor dat Sunday final, Ghana and South Africa go battle for medal. Di two teams meet for dia group wey get teams like Mali and Tanzania. South Africa bin sama Ghana 2-0 for dat Group C game; so dis second time, di Black Queens go hope to stop di Banyana Banyana. But e neva go be easy. Road to di medal zone South Africa na di defending champions for di tournament afta dem beat Morocco for di last edition for 2022. Dem bin finish di group as winners bifor dem go on to beat Senegal for penalties to reach di semifinal. Inside dat group, apart from say dem sama Ghana, dem also beat Mali 4-0 wia dem draw 1-1 wit Tanzania. Ghana for di oda hand bin draw wit Mali bifor dem beat Tanzania 4-1 afta dem lose di first game to South Africa (2-0). Both teams bin play some tough games for dis Wafcon but dem fall short for di semifinals (Ghana lose 4-2 for penalties to Morocco wey South Africa lose 2-1 to Nigeria). For dat Nigeria v South Africa game, Banyana Banyana player Gabriela Salgado bin get serious injury wia she don undergo surgery. Players for Nigeria and Ghana don visit her for hospital afta her surgery. South Africa dey hope to use dis game to win medal for dia teammate wia don dey hospital bed. For Ghana, di sports minister and di govment don congratulate di black queens for dia ogbonge performance for di tournament wia dem bin hope say dem fit win di bronze medal. Wetin di coaches tok ahead of di third place match Coach for di black queens Lars Kim Björkegren say im team performance don dey impressive so far for di competition. "We bin dey very close to di final, but today we dey focused and determined to do our best for di game v South Africa." Im add say "we don reach di playoff once in nine years - so to reach di semifinal na good tin." Since Björkegren take ova di team, im bin change tins wey he don guide di squad to di semifinal. Many of di 24 players don dey play for di Wafcon for di first time. But coach Björkegren believe say im girls go try to beat South Africa dis time around. "For our first game wit South Africa, dem bin score but we no fit score even though we bin play beta". Im add say "we be attacking team, we bin dey tackle and shoot and we want to show di world say we be good team beyond di medal we go collect if we win di third place game." "If we bin dey play for top four consistently, we go finally win di tournament. Di journey to qualify for di World Cup for Brazil don start now, we gat to finish dis Wafcon strong." For di coach of Banyana Banyana Dr Desiree Ellis, di na tribute game for Gabriela Salgado and one of dia senior players Jermaine Seoposenwe wia bin dey play almost her last tournament wit 110 caps for di Banyana Banyana. "Di ambition na to reach di final and win di trophy back-to-back, but we don dey disappointed say dat neva happun," she tok for pre-match press conference. "We want end di tournament well; na difficult tin to play one team two times for one tournament, but we go give our best." Coach Desiree also add say "we wan go home wit sometin not just for Salgado and Jermaine, but for di fans and di pipo of South Africa." Head-to-head South Africa and Ghana bin face each oda for di WAFCON for 2016 wia di black queens win am 1-0 to finish third. If dem beat South Africa again on Friday, dat go be di second time dem bin win di third place match wit di Banyana Banyana. For dia last 6 games, South Africa don win 5 times wia Ghana win only once (di 2016 3rd place game). For 8 officials games dis year bifor di Wafcon, Ghana bin win only 3 (1-0 v Senegal, 3-1 v Malawi and 4-2 v Benin). South Africa bin win all dia 7 games dis year ahead of di competition. Also ahead of dis Wafcon, Bayana Bayana bin rank 54th for di world and 2nd for Africa; Black queens dey 66th for di world and 6th for Africa. Di Friday third-place game go be consolation to any of di two kontris - for di players, di coaching staff and di fans back for dia home. Key players Ghana go dey hope dia key players - Grace Asantewaa, Portia Boakye and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah wey bin play well for dis tournament (her first tournament for Ghana) go get good game. But dey gatz to also challenge star players Refiloe Jane, Linda Motlhalo and Jermaine Seoposenwe (wey dey play her last tournament wit di Banyana Banyana). Egyptian referee Shahenda Saad Ali Elmaghrabi go dey in charge for dis third-place game for di stade Larbi Zaouli for Cassablanca. Her team of assistant referees na Yara Atef (Egypt), Houda Afine (Tunisia), Dorsaf Gabouati (Tunisia) and Mariem Chedad (Mauritania). Dis bronze medal game go happun at 7 PM GMT (8 PM WAT) Make una join us for dat time for live commentary.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Nigeria's quest for a 10th WAFCON title is more than a mission. It's a search for their winning identity
After 96 minutes in the unforgiving Moroccan sun, two penalties and one horrible injury to Gabriela Salgado, Nigeria found a way to keep their 'Mission X' — to win a 10th Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) — alive. Defender Michelle Alozie's surprising stoppage time cross-turned-goal proved to be the difference as Nigeria beat South Africa 2-1 in the semifinals on Tuesday. With the win, Nigeria secured their place at a WAFCON final for the first time in seven years. Advertisement It wasn't until Alozie exited the pitch that she even realized the goal had been hers. From a distance, it could have easily belonged to the box-crashing efforts of substitutes Deborah Abiodun or Chinwendu Ihezuo, who obstructed South African goalkeeper Andile Dlamini just enough to allow the ball to squeak past the end line without fouling her. 'When I went into the locker room, I was like, 'Wait, what? This is my face on the post!'' Alozie told The Athletic after the game. A post shared by CAF Women's Football (@cafwomenfootball) Nigeria's journey in this tournament has been neither linear nor expected; their moments of excellence have been acknowledged only with an unapologetic raising of the bar. The nine-time continental champions' group stage performances included a 3-0 victory over Tunisia and a scoreless draw with Algeria so tepid that it prompted an apology from their head coach. 'We want to apologize to our dear countrymen and women for not winning the game because I know the expectation is that we must always win,' interim head coach Justin Madugu told the Super Falcon Show in the mixed zone after the match. 'We will make sure that we work harder to make them happier in the subsequent games that we have to play.' A highly anticipated but ultimately anticlimactic quarterfinal meeting with Zambia followed. Despite Zambia's dynamic duo of Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, Nigeria put on a showcase, silencing the Copper Queens with a 5-0 victory with five different goalscorers. After their tense win over South Africa, the Nigeria are now one match away from their 10th WAFCON title and re-establishing their dominance on the continent. With a population estimated just shy of 230 million people, and a diaspora of about 17 million, there are Nigerian eyes, ears and mouths everywhere. And right now, there is one mantra, one cry that can be heard from Lagos to Casablanca: Mission X. However, it is not simply about the perfect, round satisfaction of the number 10. It is about reasserting their place atop women's soccer in Africa. But the arc has been more of a roller coaster, and Saturday's clash with hosts Morocco will determine whether Nigeria are, in fact, turning up or backsliding. Advertisement After leaving defeated from the 2022 WAFCON, where Nigeria were knocked out of the semifinals by Morocco, this team has been on a journey of redemption. It began at the 2023 World Cup, where Nigeria held then-reigning Olympic gold medalists Canada to a scoreless draw (which included Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saving a penalty taken by the legendary Christine Sinclair), beat hosts Australia and pushed European champions England to penalties. That knockout-round appearance — along with those of their continental colleagues South Africa and Morocco — drew more attention to the continued rise of women's football in Africa. But the roller coaster dipped again a year later at the Summer Olympics in France when Nigeria failed to advance out of their group with losses to Spain, Brazil, and Japan. Critics called for a refresh that championed youth talent. They questioned the selections of veteran players who hadn't proven their worth for their clubs, and they were unable to understand how a team with Asisat Oshoala, Rasheedat Ajibade, Jennifer Echegini, Uchenna Kanu, Chinwendu Ihezuo and Ifeoma Onumonu on its roster wasn't spraying goals all over the place as they'd seen this team do for decades prior. Nigeria has long been a vanguard of women's football in Africa. The local scene was already thriving in 1989, with more than a dozen clubs playing in Lagos when the Nigeria Football Federation officially recognized women's clubs. And a year later, they were invited to participate in the qualifiers for the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup. The newly formed national team went on to become the only African team at the 1991 tournament in China. 'By the time other African countries embraced the game, Nigeria had gotten ahead,' former Super Falcons player and coach Florence Omagbemi tells The Athletic. 'We set up a strong foundation and legacy for the team, which is winning.' Advertisement During the inaugural WAFCON in 1998, on home soil, the Nigerian faithful were treated to a masterclass. Their country scored 30 goals without reply across five games as they romped to the title. By that time, no other African nation had played in an official tournament. Nigeria had two World Cups under their belt and were headed to a pivotal third. The world remembers the 1999 Women's World Cup as women's soccer's debut on the global stage, with Brandi Chastain's sports-bra-bearing celebration becoming one of the most iconic photos in tournament history. In Nigeria, the memories are similarly sweet for different reasons. 'I think the biggest shock was the 1999 World Cup when we came to the U.S.,' remembers Omagbemi, who won four WAFCONs as a player and one as a coach. Nigeria was drawn into a group with North Korea, Denmark and the United States. After handling North Korea in the first match 2-1, Nkiru Okosieme scored 73 seconds into the game against the U.S. at Soldier Field in Chicago. The goal was fraught in the moment as the USWNT went on to win 7-1. However, it was a wake-up call for Nigeria, who went on to beat Denmark to qualify for the quarterfinals. 'That was the one that opened the door for most of the team because that was the first African team to get to the quarterfinal stage,' says Omagbemi, who, along with many of her teammates, signed with clubs in the U.S. and around the world off the back of the tournament. Nigeria lost 4-3 to Brazil on a golden goal in extra time of the knockout match, but making that first quarterfinal was enough to accelerate their momentum with a ripple effect across the continent. When it came to club football, Nigeria had gone global, but it took some time for their cosmopolitanism to show up on the national team. Players born in Nigeria were getting recruited to play abroad, but the post-independence spread of the diaspora meant thousands, then hundreds of thousands, and now millions more living outside the country, creating arguably one of the widest wells of footballing talent in the world. Advertisement In October 2020, the Nigerian Football Federation named the Texas-born Randy Waldrum head coach. The following year, he met Alozie and Esther Okoronkwo through a contact, simply because they were Nigerian and training with the Houston Dash in the NWSL at the time. Waldrum was in town and short on players; he needed eligible last-minute volunteers for a scrimmage and recruited them. Waldrum, who also served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh's women's soccer program (where he recruited Abiodun), has spoken at length about the importance of searching beneath the radar and recruiting across the diaspora. Alozie grew up in Southern California. Okoronkwo is just outside of Houston. The landscape of African football has drastically changed since 1991, when Nigeria appeared at the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup. South African football has steadily developed over the decades. Zambia have transformed from a backwater to a soccer talent factory that has a direct pipeline into the NWSL. Morocco has gone even further, investing millions into women's football at grassroots, club and international level, and hosting three WAFCONs from 2022-2026. When the Atlas Lionesses first played Nigeria in 1998, they were humbled 6-0, but the student became the teacher in 2022 when they knocked out Super Falcons in a fiery semifinal. Still, Nigeria's historic success grants the team a platform few other countries have. That also comes with the heavy burden that accompanies every successful team. Anything less than continued success is seen as failure, not only for the individual team or country, but possibly the continent. And off the field, winning has not kept conflict with the federation at bay. In 2022, the team boycotted training ahead of their WAFCON bronze medal match after not being paid their bonuses. After the 2023 World Cup, the players had to seek help from the international players' union FIFPRO to claim bonuses dating back to 2021. Ahead of the competition, Waldrum said that he had not been paid for over a year. 'It's been nothing but a constant issue. Up until about three weeks ago, I had been owed up to 14 months' salary,' he said while speaking to the On The Whistle Podcast. 'The two and a half years before that, it was the same thing. I would go five or six months without anything, and then they would pay you a bit of it.' Advertisement Since Waldrum's exit after the Paris Olympics, Nigeria have not replaced him. Instead, the team is being led by Waldrum's former assistant Madugu, who has only been appointed on an interim basis. Regardless of his status as a temporary coach and the challenges within the federation, the pressure remains the same — and Madugu knows it. After the team's slow start to the tournament, Nigerians were anything but quiet about their concerns, flooding comments sections and lobbing questions at Madugu, who apologized. Still, players know what a 10th title could do to push the roller coaster back up the track. And they have plenty of talent to do so. Nigeria still produces talent at a rate that none of the other teams can, and are subsequently able to leave NWSL players like Kanu, who competed in the 2022 WAFCON campaign and scored a goal, and Gift Monday out of the WAFCON squad. Mission X is a quest not just for the current squad, everyone who surrounds this team. 'It would mean a lot for the team to win the 10th title,' Kanu said. 'The whole country is looking up to the team to make that happen.'
The Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Banyana star Salgado on the mend after successful surgery
Salgado will be out of action for the rest of the year. Injured Banyana Banyana utility player Gabriela Salgado underwent a successful operation at the Mohamed VI University Hospital in Casablanca, Morocco, on Wednesday. Salgado was stretchered off following a serious injury during the CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semifinal clash against Nigeria at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium on Tuesday, which was lost 2-1 by South Africa. ALSO READ: Ellis blames Salgado injury for Banyana's WAFCON loss Banyana team doctor, Dr Lindi Mokoena, says following the operation, Salgado will be out of action for the rest of the year. 'Gabi sustained a fracture of the mid-shaft of her left leg during the fixture against Nigeria and underwent a successful surgery at the Mohamed VI University Hospital in Casablanca. She will be out of action for the rest of the year, but we are pleased that she received exceptional care from the medical team of Banyana Banyana, CAF and the hospital,' Mokoena told SAFA media. 'We were fully confident and comfortable with the procedure that was performed in Morocco and would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to CAF and the dedicated staff at the Mohamed VI University Hospital for their professionalism and outstanding support during this time.' Banyana and Super Falcons visit Salgado in hospital Salgado's Banyana Banyana teammates visited her at the hospital on Tuesday night after she had been stabilised following the injury. Meanwhile, in a show of sportsmanship, some Nigerian players also went to the hospital to visit Salgado on Wednesday and presented her with a signed Super Falcon jersey. 'The entire Super Falcons of Nigeria family, from players and coaches to staff were profoundly saddened to learn of the serious injury sustained by Gabriela Salgado during yesterday's match. Our immediate thoughts are solely with her for comfort, care, and the recovery journey ahead,' read a statement from the Super Falcons team. 'We are holding Gabriela, her teammates, her family and close friends in our hearts, sending our deepest wishes for strength and resilience. Our immediate focus, and our enduring concern, is solely for her wellbeing, comfort, and recovery. 'The spirit of competition instantly fades in moments like these, replaced by a shared sense of care for a fellow athlete. As fellow members of this football community, The Super Falcons NGR stands firmly alongside Banyana Banyana in solidarity and support. Our collective wish is for Gabriela's steady healing, renewed strength, and a return to the pitch when she is ready, surrounded by the unwavering support of the team and community. With sincere sympathy and solidarity,' Banyana were given the day off and returned training on Thursday to conclude preparations for the third-place playoff match against Ghana at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca tonight (kick-off is at 9pm SA time).
News24
5 days ago
- Sport
- News24
Banyana's Gabriela Salgado ruled out for rest of the year after horrific injury
Banyana Banyana's versatile player Gabriela Salgado has been ruled out for the rest of the year due to the mid-shaft fracture she suffered against Nigeria on Tuesday. Salgado underwent a successful operation in Casablanca, where she will remain in hospital until Banyana fly back home after their third-place play-off against Ghana. The 27-year-old was visited in hospital by her teammates along with members of Nigeria's Super Falcons, while President Cyril Ramaphosa sent her well wishes. For more Banyana Banyana news, please visit the News24 local soccer page. Banyana Banyana's Gabriela Salgado will be out of action for the rest of the year after suffering a mid-shaft fracture on her left leg during the team's 2-1 loss to Nigeria in the semi-finals of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon). Banyana Banyana players and staff visited star Gabriela Salgado at the Mohamed VI University Hospital in Casablanca, Morocco, following her successful operation on Wednesday. Nigeria's Super Falcons also visited Salgado after her injury on Tuesday. #LiveTheImpossible — Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) July 24, 2025 The South African Football Association announced that Salgado underwent a successful operation in Casablanca on Wednesday. She will remain in hospital there until the team flies back to South Africa early next week after taking part in the third-place play-off with Ghana on Friday, at the same Larbi Zaouli Stadium where they lost to Nigeria. The final will be played in Rabat on Saturday by Nigeria and hosts Morocco. Banyana teammates, technical team members and support staff visited Salgado in hospital after her operation on Wednesday. Members of Nigeria's Super Falcons also paid Salgado a visit in hospital on Tuesday, presenting the 27-year-old with a signed jersey before they flew to Rabat on Wednesday to prepare for the final. We wish Gabriela Salgado a speedy and full recovery. 💚 #WAFCON2024 #MissionX #SoarSuperFalcons — NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) July 23, 2025 'Gabi sustained a fracture of the mid-shaft of her left leg during the fixture against Nigeria and underwent a successful surgery at the Mohamed VI University Hospital in Casablanca,' said team doctor Dr Lindi Mokoena. 'She will be out of action for the rest of the year, but we are pleased that she received exceptional care from the medical team of Banyana Banyana, CAF (Confederation of African Football) and the hospital.' Dr Lindi Mokoena. Mokoena continued: 'We were fully confident and comfortable with the procedure being performed in Morocco and would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to CAF and the dedicated staff at the Mohamed VI University Hospital for their professionalism and outstanding support during this time.' Today, our thoughts are with Banyana Banyana's @G_Salgado9 as we wish Gabriela a comfortable and speedy recovery from her traumatic injury in last night's WAFCON semi-final against a victorious Nigeria. I know you're a woman of deep and public faith, Gabriela, and you're a woman… — Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) July 23, 2025 Salgado received numerous well-wishes, including one from South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa. Her injury was an unfortunate end to her debut Wafcon appearance after missing the successful 2022 campaign due to injury. Salgado is on the books of JVW, a club that's owned by former Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk and campaigns in the Hollywoodbets Super League – Mzansi's semi-professional women's league.
