Wafcon 2024: Nigeria into final after late Alozie goal sees off South Africa

Nigeria scored a melodramatic stoppage-time victor to bushed defending champions South Africa 2-1 and publication their spot successful Saturday's last of the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon).

Michelle Alozie's transportation from heavy into the container eluded Banyana Banyana keeper Andile Dlamini successful the 94th infinitesimal to support live the West Africans' hopes of securing a record-extending 10th continental title.

The Super Falcons had led successful Casablanca done Rasheedat Ajibade's punishment connected the changeable of half-time aft Bambanani Mbane was penalised for handling Folashade Ijamilusi's shot.

But the holders fought backmost successful the 2nd fractional and levelled connected the hr people done a composed Linda Motlhalo spot kick, awarded erstwhile Osinachi Ohale tugged backmost Hildah Magaia.

That was the archetypal extremity the Nigeria had conceded astatine this year's finals and it knocked the nine-time champions retired of their stride.

South Africa had to woody with a serious-looking wounded to Gabriela Salgado with six minutes remaining but, conscionable arsenic the crippled appeared to beryllium heading to extra-time, Alozie struck to spark jubilant celebrations.

They volition look either hosts Morocco oregon Ghana successful the final, with those 2 sides gathering successful Tuesday's precocious last-four necktie (19:00 GMT).

South Africa's quarter-final against Senegal had gone to extra-time and penalties and, having had a day's little remainder than their opponents, they made a nervy commencement astatine the Larbi Zaouli Stadium.

The Super Falcons had a superb treble accidental successful the 11th infinitesimal with Dlamini redeeming from Esther Okoronkwo earlier centre-back Tiisetso Makhubela some headed wide and past blocked Chinwendu Ihezuo's travel up successful beforehand of the goalline.

South Africa were forced to reorganise aft losing Makhubela to wounded midway done the fractional but appeared to beryllium heading successful level astatine the interruption earlier Ijamilusi fired an effort into the near manus of Mbane, who was hardly 2 yards away.

Dlamini got a manus to Ajibade's debased penalty, but the effort had capable powerfulness to enactment Nigeria ahead, and the South Africa goalkeeper astir talented her opponents different extremity successful the archetypal infinitesimal of the 2nd fractional erstwhile she dropped a transverse conscionable yards out.

Nigeria's level dropped successful the 2nd fractional and South Africa, who had seldom threatened, were talented a mode backmost into the contented by a antiaircraft lapse successful attraction which was confirmed by VAR.

Motlhalo sent Super Falcons keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie the incorrect mode from the spot to acceptable up a fiercely contested and tense last fractional hour.

Noxolo Cesane astir enactment South Africa successful beforehand successful the 73rd infinitesimal erstwhile she slid successful to conscionable a heavy transverse from the left, but her effort did not person capable connected it to rotation implicit the enactment and Ohale yet cleared.

Salgado's wounded aft a scramble successful the container disrupted the last stages - with respective Banyana players successful wide distress earlier she was stretchered disconnected - and contributed to six minutes of wounded time.

Alozie's lofted transportation looked hopeful but bounced conscionable extracurricular the six gait container and the beingness of onrushing Nigerians Ihezuo and Deborah Abiodun provided an added distraction for Dlamini, with the shot ending up successful the nett contempt the hopeless efforts of Fikile Magama.

Abiodun claimed the extremity but replays showed she did not get a interaction and it was yet awarded to the Super Falcons right-back.

The mode of the result was harsh connected South Africa, who had been bidding for their 2nd Wafcon rubric and enactment successful a committed show contempt the wounded setbacks they encountered passim the match.

Nigeria's quest to reclaim the trophy they past lifted successful 2018, which has been dubbed Mission X, remains connected way - but the Super Falcons faced a acold sterner introspection than they had during the quarter-finals erstwhile they bushed Zambia 5-0.