Johannesburg – Banyana Banyana easily claimed Aisha Buhari Cup honours after thrashing Nigeria 4-2 in the finals on Tuesday, 21 September 2021.
The top two teams in women’s football on the African continent, Nigeria’s Super Falcons and South Africa’s Bayana faced off in an explosive battle that led to sparks flying in the bustling Nigerian capital of Lagos.
Banyana charged 3-0 goals in the first half of the encounter, the under pressured Super Falcons’ Alozie Chidi scored an own goal in the opening quarter.
The South African side pulled off another strike within 17 minutes of the encounter, when Linda Motlhalo scored a clean penalty after Nigeria’s Ebi Onome was booked for a handball in the 18 area.
Banyana midfielder Gabriela Salgado fired a stunning goal at the dying minutes of the first half encounter.
The tormented Super Falcons came with guns blazing in the second half of the encounter, with a spectacular brace from Vivian Ikechukwu, but they failed to equalize with the underrated Banyana.
Banyana’s Mamello Makhabane ended hopes of Nigeria when she unleashed a penalty to topple up the score line to 4-2, after Motlhalo was brought down in the penalty spot.
The match ended with a scoreline of 4-2, with Banyana being crowned as the champions.
BIG TEAM! BIG MOOD!😁🇿🇦💚💛#BanyanaBanyana #Womensfootball #AishaBuhariCup pic.twitter.com/iJb3YmUhkW
— Banyana_Banyana (@Banyana_Banyana) September 21, 2021
Banyana’s success comes after they fired an emphatic performance in their route to the finals, when they secured 3-0 win over Ghana’s Black Queens in their opening Aisha Buhari Cup fixture in Nigeria last week.
This historical win booked Banyana to the finals to be title contenders.
The last time the two teams met in a competitive match was at the Africa Women’s Cup Of Nations Final in Ghana in 2018, where the Super Falcons edged Desiree Ellis’ charges 4-3 on penalties to clinch the continental title.
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