Friday Wafcon Quarters – Banda against Oshoala the highlight; Morocco has it just?

The first quarter -finals for women -afcon district on Friday see a game in Nigeria against Zambia that we want the final, while the other should be a walk in the park for hosts Morocco.

In the middle of culminate conditions in Morocco, football has not quite fulfilled the expectations, but the KO -rounds should bring them to a large extent, not least with heavyweights Nigeria and Zambia, who should collide in the election of the round in Casablanca.

Nigeria against Sambia

Stade Larbi Zaouli, Casablanca – Friday, 5 p.m. Local (12 p.m. ET)

The headlines: The collapse of the Krawattens and a potential finale in the creation these two contested third place in the last nations in 2022, and both will be desperate to get the title into their hands this time.

Nigeria is the most successful team in Wafcon's history – won 11 titles – while Sambia has been developed as a real power pack in recent years and has qualified for consecutive Olympic Games and the 2023 World Cup.

The tournament will be poorer for one of these two.

How they qualify: Both took seven points out of the group, with Nigeria Tunisia moving away before they were kept late over Botswana and then Algeria in Casablanca.

Sambia started strongly against host Morocco at the start, and the outstanding Barbra Banda fired her in the first minute, but a Ghizlane Chebbak Equalizer in the 87th minute ultimately convicted her in second place – via the difference in the hit – and a far more tougher quarter.

Sambia can certainly regret that the hosts were at the mercy of their grace.

The story: Nigeria has never been eliminated in this phase of competition. This is a status that weighs the Super Falcons heavily when they go back.

They had the better one of the head with Zambia, but past results little count against this Golden generation of SHE-Polopolo, and it was indeed the copper queens who won the bronze medal match between the couples.

What does it look good? The most exciting team, which was exhibited with the NWSL duo Banda and Racheal Kundananji, who were supported by people such as Prisca Chilufya, IREEN Lungu and Grace Chanda were offensive.

Bandananji in particular looked devastating against Morocco during the opening lesson, and it will be fascinating to see how they are against the falcons.

The queens are particularly fatal with their lightning crossings, although they probably find much harder against a Nigeria team that still admits a goal.

This solid defensive record for the Falcons meant that Ashleigh plumptre made the team of the group phase of the CAF, although the credit must also go to Galatasarays Oluwatosin Demehin.

What is not? Nigeria has also attacked the quality on paper, but since the opening of Tunisia they have shown a precious little one – admittedly against one -injured, conservative pages, and the interim head coach Justin Madugu could be exposed to critics because he could be some of the team's potential threats – including the new Bavaria Munich Home is at home – at home – at home – at home – at home – at home – at home – at home.

The head coach who monitors the team in intermediate capacity – hardly inspires trust. “I cannot determine the number of goals that are achieved in the game, but so that you have to win a match, you have to score goals,” he said before the game before the ESPN. “I hope and expect the Nigeria team to score goals and win the game.”

Defensively, Sambia looked vulnerable, especially without long-term hazel Nali No. 1, although head coach Nora Haupt-Hautepe will quickly point out that only one of the four they gave them come from an open game.

Any other business? Asisat Oshoala, winner of the six of the last nine prices for the African footballer of the year, will compete against Barbra Banda, whom she defeated for the Gong in 2024.

There is mutual respect between the couples, but while Oshoalas Star is probably on the rejected difficulties, Banda could reduce her rivals as the most decorated women's player in African football. Will this be the farewell of the flashlight between two of the best we saw?

Ed Dove's prediction: Heart says Nigeria, probably also says Nigeria, who should have enough nous in the last third to worry about an unsafe sambian defense more than her waterproof backline is violated by Bandananji. Confidence level for this prediction: relatively low.

Morocco against Mali

Stade Olympique, Rabat – Friday 8 p.m. Local (3 p.m. et)

The headlines: The hosts are favorites because they want to do a better than during the last tournament, where they were neglected in the final and will be confident about seeing a number of partisans in Rabat in front of Mali.

How they qualify: Morocco led the group of death from Zambia for a difference in the gate and took seven points, but sometimes rode against the copper queens. Four points were enough for Mali from their opening games to make progress, although a 4-0 link from South Africa damped expectations in their third game.

The story: These two have never met in the Nations Cup, although it may be worth mentioning that Morocco has not lost in the last four Wafcon games against teams from West Africa.

What does it look good? The hosts' skipper Ghizlane Chebbak leads directly to keep the player of the tournament award, which they won after a number of large displays and coupling contributions to the last WAFCON. Her four goals so far has been more than she did three years ago during her golden boot performance.

Beyond Chebbak, the team threatened to be in its lively, creative, inventive best, even if it should have laid out one or two more chances.

The violent house atmosphere in Rabat, albeit in a stadium of smaller capacities than the Atlas lions packed during the last tournament, also offers a great advantage.

What is not? Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi has proven to be a real weak point for Morocco, not least at the start, where she used to give the copper queens a perfect start. For Mali, the complete breakdown against South Africa should be a problem, both the result and the relaxed, flushing performance of the Aiglonnes.

Any other business? Morocco has experience with the achievement of the end and increasingly knows how to negotiate KO games. Add the MIX head coach Jorge Vilda, who supervised Spain's victorious campaign at the 2023 World Cup, and the hosts have a strong mix when you see the title in mind.

Ed Doves Prediction: On paper, the most one -sided quarter -finals and hard to fight to miss Morocco. Even if Agueicha Diarra from Paris Saint-Germain grasp her goal boots and problems, the hosts should have too much … The tournament needs them to make progress.