Could any of the African teams shock the world?

The Total Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) comes with great anticipation and the celebration of the continent’s women who have thrived in soccer. After we have given the medals and sang the national anthems on the day of the final match. We might all know that one of the objectives of the Total Africa Women’s Cup of Nations is not just to determine the champion, but to select the three teams that will represent the continent in the Women’s World Cup. In this 2019 edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup; Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon will be there to show the world what Africa has to offer.

In our previous article, we gave an analysis of how each of these teams have been preparing for this grand challenge. The questions that are still lingering in most of our minds is; with all these preparations that are taking place, could the world just be pleasantly shocked by what Africa can bring to the table? Could this be the year that brings a fresh perspective on how the world views Africa? Before we get into what the teams might eventually come up with, it would be prudent to begin by analysing the starting place of each team which is how they performed at the 2018 AWCON, the current odds and what they might just shock with. Even beyond that, we want to explore the bigger conversation about the necessity and relevance of predicting how teams will perform at a tournament way before the matches begin.

Nigeria

Since 1991, the Super Falcons have never missed any World Cup. They will be appearing in the Women’s World Cup for the 8th time. As expected, this has come after the team has won the AWCON Cup, a staggering 11 times out of 12. Even in 2018, the Super Falcons did not disappoint as they still snatched the title from South Africa by a 4-3 scoreline. Even though the fortunate and timely winning only came by a “lottery” penalty shoot-out, it still allowed the celebration to fall on the West African side. Some critics claim that Nigeria’s performance in the AWCON was not up to standard with some moments where it could even be doubted that they would win this year. Regardless of that view, others still believed that some Nigerian players still did well during the tournament with Asisat Ashoala scoring the second highest number of goals in the tournament and Tochukwu Oluehi getting the best goalkeeper award. These are the players that will still be in the World Cup squad in France. The different opinions then inform the predictions of how these ladies may perform on the upcoming tournaments.

Despite the multiple World Cup appearances, it looks like the Super Falcons’ dominance is only constricted within the African continent. The most devastating results came in China 1991 and 2013 in the United States where none of the team’s efforts resulted in a goal. They could not get even a single goal throughout the tournament.  The Super Falcons did finish in the top 8 in the 1999 World Cup which still remains their highlight today. With such an unimpressive track record, what are the odds that this year might be the year that the team wipes the tears of all Nigerians who have wept since 1991? That is a difficult question to respond to because it is really hard to pin down the challenges behind the Super Falcons’ disappointing performance at an international level. It might be the pressure that comes with knowing what is at stake, the strength of the other teams or just the inevitable losses that come with any sport. Some analysts attribute these losses to the fact that some of these players are not fit enough and the team has not worked on their playing system. Those arguments were valid before the current coach Thomas Dennerby joined the team and moved a couple of things around.

Recent predictions of who is most likely going to win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup; USA, France and Germany were at the top of that list. After scrolling down and down the list, the Nigerian team finally appeared as the 20th most likely team to win the World Cup. This is, by the way, the most likely team amongst the three African teams that will be present. The probability score that was assigned to them was 250/1. In short, very few people, if any at all believe that the Super Falcons are likely going to win the World Cup. But that is exactly what will make it a shock, right? If a team with such a low prediction does not only rise to the top but carries the title home, the world could be pleasantly surprised.

Asisat Oshoala who is a star player of the Nigerian team and plays for Barcelona was quoted saying, “In football anything is possible. We are a team in progress and we will surely spring surprises during the World Cup.”

South Africa

After standing just one goal away from taking the AWCON cup home, Banyana Banyana will be attending the Women’s World Cup for the first time. As it can be assumed of a debut appearance, it has been predicted that South Africa is least likely going to win. Actually, out of the 24 teams that will be there, South Africa is considered as the 22nd most likely team, just above Jamaica and Thailand. What we cannot overlook though, is that after the AWCON, South Africa is armed with the Best Player in Africa and top goal scorer of that tournament, Thembi Kgatlana. Beyond that award, and of course, the silver medals, a couple of other South African players also got awards for scoring goals at the tournament. After carrying the team to the finals, we cannot dismiss the possibility of her doing the same at the World Cup this June.

I moved around asking for people’s opinions and one respondent said, “South Africa might not have the experience and many key players, but what they have is a united front. Just like Croatia, they might just shock the world.” In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, there were other renowned and presumably more deserving teams like Germany and Portugal, but Croatia silenced all skeptics and made it to the finals. History and fate might just collaborate to bring the same for South Africa. Even though South Africa have not often participated at the international level, they have proactively sought opportunities to get this kind of exposure before the tournament commences. In April, they had a match with Jamaica who will also be at the World Cup. Banyana have played other teams like the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States in an attempt to get experience. They will face Norway on the 2nd of June 2019 to get a final sense of their readiness. But really, to what extent does experience matter? Would South Africa’s lack of international experience work against them?

None of the teams that have won the World Cup since its inception in 1991 did so on their first attempt. The United States which has won the World Cup three times have been there since the beginning. There is a unique kind of value and lesson that can only come by being in the heat of the international pressure that comes with such a tournament. Sometimes, not even an international friendly game can give a taste of what it feels like, which is South Africa’s reality. Experience cannot really be substituted. We cannot fully anticipate what their performance will be like, but we are always behind our teams regardless of how low the odds could be.

Cameroon

After beating Mali 4-2 in the third-place play-off match last year, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon secured their place in this year Women’s World Cup. Just like all the other African teams, the team is also anticipated to perform poorly at the upcoming tournament and has been given a probability score of 500/1 which is the same as South Africa. They appear as the 21st most likely to lift the trophy. Given that the Cameroonians will be appearing for the second time in the tournament, they have had some lessons to incorporate from the 2015 edition where they went as far the round 16.

Unlike Banyana Banyana, this team has not had enough opportunities to explore a lot of international opportunities during the preparation stage for the tournament. They have prepared mainly through domestic means which is a method that has been criticised for its inability to represent the reality of tournaments as big as the World Cup. Even though that might be true, we cannot escape that some countries do not have enough resources to prepare their teams to the desired levels. Cameroon has, however, participated in the Chinese Four-nation tournament where they came second to China. That is something impressive on its own. It might not be all the necessary exposure, but it did give the team an idea of what to expect. They expect to seal their preparations with a friendly match against Spain later this May. Their forward Njoya Ajara who has been making waves recently, says she is optimistic that they will do better this year. In spite of how optimistic teams can be, they still face a lot of negativity from the outside world. This then raises a question, that if all teams have qualified for a certain tournament, is it necessary to then predict how they will perform? In whose best interest are these predictions?

Are predictions necessary and helpful?

It has become a tradition that before any major tournament or game, sports pundits would dedicate time to predicting the outcome of that tournament. The Women’s World Cup has not been excluded from that tradition. The challenge with predictions is that they perpetuate pre-tournament stereotypes. Predictions label teams as winners and losers even before they are given a chance which could affect the team’s motivation. I cannot begin to imagine what must be in the Thailand training sessions after they have been declared as the least team that could possibly win this title. After a team has gone through the hustles of qualifying for the tournament, they are implicitly told they are not good enough. We cannot even be sure of the effect of such stereotypes on the objectivity of some decisions on the field of play. There are difficult moments like when a goal has to be validated or a foul has to be considered, knowing how a team is viewed can have an effect of the outcome of the decision.

However, it would also be blindly optimistic of us to assume that all teams in a certain tournament have an equal chance. Such a stance could be undermining the role of data. Predictions are based on teams’ previous performances, which cannot be ignored. They are not necessarily based on any ill intentions, but the aim is to raise awareness and excitement about the game. In fact, such predictions can be the reason why fans watch the games to see if they are being verified. After all, this article is also predicting a future which is a bit different from what the rest of the world is anticipating.

Conclusion

The three teams that will represent Africa are not there by coincidence or mistake. They were at the top of the AWCON because they worked hard, re-strategised quickly and learned fast even in the midst of the championship battle. There seems to be a bigger barrier when it comes to the World Cup which might be because of the way they are perceived by the rest of the world. It might also be because of real technicalities that they will need to work on to be on top of their game. Whatever the challenge might be, a bit of optimism here and there is always useful which is something that all the teams have in common. For Nigeria, this is when the experience they have gotten over the years might propel the Super Falcons to fly higher. To South Africa, nobody said small and new beginnings cannot explode to impressive success. Cameroon, the reason why you are at the World Cup again is that the first one was not enough to expose your greatness, here is another chance. Nobody knows, but could any of the African teams shock the world?

6 Women We Can't Wait to See at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Less than a year after the French celebrated lifting the 2018 FIFA World Cup trophy in Russia, we are bracing ourselves for another global tournament. This time, the Women’s World Cup is hosted by France and is promising to be another one to remember. A total of 24 teams from 6 federations will participate in FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. Out of those, Africa is represented by Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa. Of course, we are going to witness the likes of Asisat Oshoala and Thembi Kgatlana showcasing their talents against the world’s best players on the 6th of June. The only downside though would be the absence of the current best player in women’s football, Ada Hegerberg. Nonetheless, I am not discouraged as there are 6 other top players that I look forward to watching in action in this upcoming tournament. Here’s my list in no particular order.

1. Wendie Renard

If you have been following women’s football, you would know that there is one team that has been dominating the European scene which is Lyon. Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, as they are officially called, appeared in their 8th UEFA Women’s Champions League final since 2010 when they matched up against Barça Women on the 18th of May 2019. The Barcelona Women sought to end Lyon’s dominance only to receive a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of their French counterparts. The headlines shouted Ada Hegerberg, an expected blockbuster name, but little attention was paid to the people behind her. Specifically, the Lyon captain Wendie Renard.

Wendie Thérèse Renard is a central defender who was born in Schœlcher, Martinique. Ever heard of it? Me neither. Howbeit, she represents the French national team and also happens to be the skipper. These leadership qualities remind me of French legend Lilian Thuram who played for Barcelona. Wendie Renard’s contribution to her squads’ success has been immense. Her never-give-up attitude brings memories of a certain Chelsea legend, John Terry, who was famous for putting his life in the line for his team. Wendie Renard is not scared to dive into a challenge or throw her body to block a ball from going into the back of the net.

It is these qualities that have become rare to find in modern football where players are becoming more technically gifted and a little less rough about the defensive work. But not Wendie though. Wendie is a beast. That 4-1 win against Barcelona, a competent European team proficient in banging goals, shows her resilience as the leader of the backline. Her command built an impenetrable wall at the back and was unlucky to concede a consolation on the 89th minute at the hands of the Nigerian international, Asisat Oshoala. Imagine this passion and desire for the game being shared with a star-studded French team. Could Wendie Renard prove to be the key? That question would have to be answered later after assessing the next player.

2. Asisat Oshoala

That’s right. We jump ship next to the very person that could only manage to score against Wendie Renard in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final between Barcelona Women and Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. Asisat Oshoala has been a global phenomenon. She has represented some of the best clubs in the world starting at Liverpool Ladies, a brief stint at Arsenal Ladies before her current club, Barca Women. However, she also played for Dalian Quanjian FC in between her time at the London club and before the switch to Spain. Her qualities are apparent hence she’s always in demand. But who is she? And what is she capable of?

Our very own Simiso Shabangu wrote about her individual honors and how she has managed to win the Women’s African Player of the Year, BBC’s Women’s Player of the Year and was also the Most Valuable Player and highest goalscorer at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada. It seems like it’s her thing to scoop such awards at prestigious tournaments. Could we witness her fighting her way to the top again in a couple of days when the FIFA Women’s World Cup commences on the 6th of June, 2019?

About her on-field style, Asisat Oshoala is a ruthless forward capable of scoring from anywhere. Her debut goal for FC Barcelona Femení, where she played on the shoulders of the Rayo defense and calmly controlled the balled in top-speed before sliding it under the onrushing goalkeeper, resembles the play of Thierry Henry who was brought in to score goals at the Blaugrana. If Nigeria are to challenge for the title, they will surely need goals from Asisat Oshoala. The 24-year-old will be leading the line with experience. I think she will definitely have a hand in all the juju on the pitch.

3. Vivianne Miedema

It is no easy feat to finish the season as the top goalscorer especially in the FA Women’s Super League table where there are clubs like Liverpool Ladies, Arsenal Ladies and Chelsea Women who are always on the lookout for the best players in the world to represent them and challenge for titles. This year, the trophy was lifted by Arsenal ladies many thanks to the top goalscorer Vivianne Miedema who scored 29 league goals in 25 matches. Across all competitions, she scored a total of 37 goals mirroring Robin Van Persie’s best season in an Arsenal shirt back in 2011/12 season. And to think, Vivianne Miedema is just 22 years old. There’s more to come from the youngster.

Hailing from the land of the Dutch, Vivianne is more than just another soccer player. Her dedication to promoting football among young girls is something worth recognition. Vivianne Miedema is a published author, having written a series of children’s books to inspire young girls to play football. She cites her family, many of whom played professionally, as her own inspiration. As such, Vivianne is a role model in her own way and sets a precedent for other women to promote women’s football. Despite her young age, Vivianne proves to be a leader.

When the Netherlands Ladies face New Zealand, Cameroon, and Canada in the group stage, they will need goals from the young center-forward. Vivianne has established herself as one of the best strikers in world football. Her track record speaks for itself, having debuted for Heerenveen in the Dutch top flight aged just 15, and going on to score 39 goals that season. That unbelievable season earned her a move to Bayern Munich where she helped them win the Bundesliga without losing a single match. Wherever she goes, success seems to follow her and she will be looking forward to maintaining the record in the world cup.

4. Lucy Bronze

Personally, there is nothing more fascinating than finding out the stories about footballers and the kind of lives they were living before the beautiful game transformed them. I cannot stop imagining how their lives would have turned out to be if they never left that low-paying job or if they had given up and just decided to never set foot on a pitch again. With Lucy Bronze, I got to know a few things about her background. She worked at Dominos at some point in her life where she enjoyed the benefits of free pizza. However, she previously stated that maths is her true calling in life, admitting that if she wasn’t a professional footballer, she would probably be an accountant.

But today, she stands as one of the best full-backs in the world. Plying her trade at Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, obviously, she has enjoyed club success. As mentioned above, their club battered Barcelona Women in the UEFA Champions League final and she was holding the right-back position. She has earned praise from England boss, Phil Neville who said, “Lucy Bronze is the best player in the world. Write that down, print that, because she is.” It is expected that such statements are made by your own coach right before a major tournament to boost the confidence of their players. Lucy Bronze will be participating in the upcoming competition for her nation England although she is half-Portuguese. But how does she play?

Coincidentally, Lucy Bronze very-much plays like Gary Neville, her current boss’ brother. The Manchester United Legend was popular for his precision in defense and the odd tough tackles when called upon. No wonder the England boss feels like she is the best player as she resembles a player who has gone down as one of the best in the English Premier League. Lucia Roberta Tough "Lucy" Bronze will be ready to do her defensive duties for England and her versatility to play anywhere across the backline and the midfield will come in handy in case of emergency.

5. Thembi Kgatlana

Another one of the headliners playing at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in France is Thembi Kgatlana from South Africa. Like Asisat Oshoala, Thembi Kgatlana is an African jewel. No wonder the battle for the CAF Women’s Player of the Year 2018 was a close tie between the two. In the end, the South African walked away with it and deservedly so. Thembi Kgatlana shined for Banyana Banyana at the 2018 African Cup of Nations finals where she scored a total of 5 goals, the most of any player at the tournament.

Margaret Mandeya describes Thembi Kgatlana as a dynamic and fast forward. I could not agree more. Her goal against Nigeria in the 2018 African Cup of Nations group stage match reminded me of a certain player that played for Barcelona under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola. Her technique in possession of the ball and the ability to bolt past defenders is a reflection of Samuel Eto’o at his best. Thembi Kgatlana’s parents must be proud to see their daughter making headlines after being reluctant at some point to allow their dear child to play a sport that wasn’t popular especially down south. Now, Thembi is a role model for many African women who desire to play football as she has challenged the perception of soccer as a sport reserved for men.

Banyana Banyana qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. This means that all eyes are going to be on Thembi to not only replicate her performances at the previous AFCON tournament but also to eventually win a trophy after they narrowly missed out in the 2018 Total Women’s African Cup of Nations. A tough ask, this is going to be as they face Spain, China, and Germany in their pathway before the knockout round. Surely, the 23-year old will have to bring her A-game and fire Banyana Banyana to the next round. This presents an opportunity for the young forward to test herself against the world’s best. If she sustains the pressure at this stage, Thembi Kgatlana will surely have a shoutout at the next Ballon d'Or ceremony. Too ambitious? Watch the tourney and tell me if I am wrong.

6. Marta

Arguably the greatest female player of all time, Marta Vieira da Silva is 33 years old going into the Women’s World Cup. She is a 6-time FIFA Player of the Year winner. The merits have not come by coincidence because Marta is an intelligent forward that resembles the Brazilian samba flair seen in the likes of Neymar who plays for PSG and the likes of Ronaldinho and Pele who played in the past. She tops it off with a killer instinct when through on goal.  I cannot forget an iconic goal she scored at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup against the USA. Words cannot fully capture the scenes in the stadium when Marta flicked the ball with her back heel, subtracting one defender in the turn before chopping the last defender with a snakebite trick. The rest, you have to find out for yourself on YouTube.

Apart from that, Marta seems to be aging like fine wine. At 33 years old, she was recently voted as the Most Valuable Player by her teammates when she moved to Orlando Pride in the United States. The same can be said about Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Sweden who is making the right noises in the Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy after a blistering career across Europe. Marta resembles Zlatan in so many ways including the hunger for success. The player still feels capable of replicating her form in the previous tournaments and hopefully, she can prove the analysts wrong. Brazil is predicted to have an underwhelming tournament thanks to the 20-1 odds placed on their chances to win the competition.

AWCON 2018 Review: The evolvement of Asisat Oshoala and Nigeria

“Her dedication to her talent has gone a long way to show us how much an African woman can achieve if she dedicates herself to it. Babe, we love you regardless of just being counted as a good substitute.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

After being crowned more than any other team in the Total Women’s AFCON, the Super Falcons are struggled to keep their heads above the water in this year’s tournament. After losing their first match to Banyana Banyana by 1-0 scoreline, their win against the She-polopolo of Zambia was the only reason why they were not knocked out earlier in the tournament. Have they evolved, the Nigeria side who were once like a gun packed with bullets? I mean, they have Asisat in their team. Now that they have taken the title home, how much weight of the club has this lady carried on her shoulders.

Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria reacts after missing a breakaway attempt during the FIFA Women's U-20 Final against Germany at Olympic Stadium on August 24, 2014 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

(Aug. 23, 2014 - Source: Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

First and second match

The coach, Thomas Dennerby expressed his disappointment not only because of the Super Falcons’ loss but even when they won. He mentioned that the goals that they scored did not match the quality that he had cultivated into the team. Even Asisat was not playing at the expected level that we had also praised her at in our deep dive about her. She was held responsible for missing several chances that came to the Nigerian side. Notably, in the 69th minute, she collided with a good opportunity which was however, eclipsed by her teammate Ordega. Even though she was the best goal scorer in the same tournament two years ago, she was not able to score up to that point. Two matches with nothing? Babes, you got us worried at that point.

Third Match

Francisca Ordega #17 of Nigeria celebrates her game-tying goal against Sweden with Onome Ebi #5, Asisat Oshoala #8 and Ngozi Ebere #23 during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.

(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Chances do not just come, but they do come to revive lost hope. In their third match, against Equatorial Guinea she snatched 3 goals out of 6, to her name. That is incredibly carrying half of the weight of the team on her shoulders. In as much as some claimed that this was not her full potential being realised, it was still in line with the greatness we always anticipate from her. They say the higher you go, the colder it becomes, but that was not the case for Nigeria. The higher they went up the game, the hotter and harder it became. Their match against Cameroon led to a goalless 90 minutes of just running around the pitch. However, when it came to the desperate measures, penalties, Asisat was put on the spotlight and she lived up to the expectation ad scored. That was another 25% of the team’s victory carried on her head the same way some African women carry water pots on their heads.

Final Match

We are not sure if it came with the nerves that was exerted by the pressure or what, but she missed the penalty which happened to be Nigeria’s only chance to snatch the trophy under normal time. She also lost the Top Goal Scorer Award to Thembi Kgatlana from South Africa. At least her name appeared in the best substitutes’ list. Has she fallen from glory?

Sometimes it is not your present performance that affords you credit, but your past contribution to the team is what we cannot forget. Asisat might have not performed at the expected level in this tournament but we know how much she has done, not just for herself but for the Nigerians and the rest of African women. Her dedication to her talent has gone a long way to show us how much an African woman can achieve if she dedicates herself to it. Babe, we love you regardless of just being counted as a good substitute.

What you need to know about the Women's AFCON 2018

Shanshan Wang of China and Janine van Wyk of South Africa head the ball during the Women's Group E first round match between South Africa and China PR on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

(Aug. 5, 2016 - Source: Harry How/Getty Images South America)

Do you miss the World Cup or probably wish there were many more varied football matches to look out for other than just the acclaimed European football leagues or the less followed but equally entertaining domestic leagues on the African continent? If you are really eager for something new and more so run by women, 2018 is your year. The much-celebrated women of Africa who have literally borne the continent will take it to the pitch and remind everyone, who the bosses are.

Brief History

The women’s Africa Cup of Nations officially named the Total Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. by reason of CAF’s running ten-year sponsorship deal with Total, was first contested in 1991. The biennial tournament pits eight national teams in the finals after a series of preliminary qualifying rounds. The most successful team in the tourney are the Super Falcons of Nigeria with a record ten titles followed by Equatorial Guinea with two. In fact, no other team has won the prize besides these two.

Current Champions

You would have probably guessed that it's Nigeria. The Super Falcons have been unrelenting in their journey of total dominance over the years. If you have been the follower of the tournament you must remember the legendary Perpetua Ijeoma Nkowcha. Perpetua won five of the seven AFCON tournaments in the Falcons colors. She is a deadly assailant in front of goal with 80 goals in 99 caps for Nigeria. They won the 2016 campaign in Cameroon after defeating the hosts, 1-0 in the final. Let it be known, women’s football on the continent is just getting better and better, one would be brave to fancy Nigeria to continue this dominance in the foreseeable future.

Where and When?

Ghana will be hosting the 2018 Total Women’s Africa Cup of Nations from the 17th of November to the 1st of December. The tournament is scheduled to run in two cities namely Accra and Cape Coast. There were media reports flying around suggesting that the West African nation may be stripped of its rights to host the tourney but the final verdict will be known after CAF’s Executive meeting to be held between 27-28 September 2018.

Francisca Ordega #17 of Nigeria celebrates her game-tying goal against Sweden with Onome Ebi #5, Asisat Oshoala #8 and Ngozi Ebere #23 during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.

Who will be participating in the finals?

The eight teams fighting for the coveted prize are as follows:

• The Black Queens of Ghana (hosts)

• The Super Falcons of Nigeria

• The She-polopolo of Zambia

• Banyana Banyana of South Africa

• Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea

• The Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon

• The Fennecs of Algeria

• The Female Eagles of Mali

These eight will be placed in two groups of four, with the first two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Players to look out for in the qualifiers

African Women’s Footballer of the Year award winner for the years 2014, 2016 and 2017, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala will be on show again this year. The 23-year-old ran away with the player of the tournament in 2016 and would most certainly be a key ingredient in the Falcons’ proposed title defence. Oshoala is currently enjoying life in China bagging the 2017 Chinese Women’s Super League Top goalscorer award, a much needed breath of fresh air after less ideal career at Liverpool and Arsenal ladies. Here is a full list of the guns to watch out for.

Women’s AFCON Fun-Fact

The top three teams from the AFCON finals like the one in November, secure qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. This year in particular, should Equatorial Guinea be in the top three, the fourth team gets the spot by virtue of the central African country serving a ban imposed by FIFA