Esther Okoronkwo, the star of the Super Falcons, revealed that Nigeria was close to losing their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title until the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) stepped in. The Super Falcons came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the host team, Morocco, in the final match. Okoronkwo contributed by scoring a goal and assisting another, helping Nigeria secure its unprecedented 10th title at the Stade Olympique de Rabat on Saturday night. The Nigerian defender, Twanyanyukwa, found herself in the midst of a contentious moment when a penalty was initially given to the Atlas Lionesses in the 79th minute. However, VAR prompted the Namibian referee to reassess her decision, leading her to overturn it. Okoronkwo, named Player of the Match, emphasized the crucial role VAR played in ensuring justice in the game, stating that she believed the referee made most of the correct calls. “Thank goodness for VAR — the referee initially awarded a penalty against us, but after reviewing the monitor, she determined it wasn’t a penalty,” Okoronkwo expressed to reporters during the post-match press conference. The President of Nigeria has praised the Super Falcons for their impressive win against the host team.
