The Falconets of Nigeria late on Thursday night lost their African female soccer crown to hosts Black Princesses of Ghana 1-2 at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium via a psychological victory with mischievous and frustrating time wasting tactics that was deliberately overlooked by Ref Natasha Konan from Ivory Coast.

Severally the Ghanaian goalkeeper, Afi Amenyaku would lay on the turf wasting time and there was at least no verbal warning or card. She claimed injury and was treated on the field for about seven minutes and when the Nigerian captain protested to Ref Natasha, the Nigerian captain was promptly flashed a yellow card, the 3rd to Nigeria. I report that Goalkeepers are allowed by rules to be treated on the field of play but the duration of this was rather long.

Imagine a balk go into touch for throw-in to Ghana and a player stood right there in front of the ball refusing to pick and throw until a Nigerian player ran there, picked the ball and put it in her hand to throw with the Ref enjoying the illegal drama, no whistle or card for time wasting.

In the second half of the extra time, an unmarked Ghanaian player fell on the turf with the stretchers brought in as usual without the prompting of the Ref. The player tactically wasted time and Ref ignored rules.

It is interesting that Natasha Konan and her lines women, Sekinat Hamidu from Niger Republic and Alice Umitesi from Rwanda overlooked many wrong moves in the match. They kept allowing medical team from Ghana to enter the pitch without summons. Nigerian coach, Christopher Danjuma had to also enter the pitch to protest time wasting which should have attracted a caution.

The worry is that when Ghana like many North African teams get to the world cup they are knocked out at the group stages because standard football rules does not permit the frivolities.

Nigeria drew the first blood through Edith Njideka Edeh who cashed on an error from the Ghanaian Keeper 24th minute to score the first goal of the night.

Tracey Twum who was most eloquent player on the field scored the equalizer for Ghana in the 78th minute before Mukarema Abdulai got the winner.

Perhaps the most joyous  man on the pitch is the Ghanaian coach, Yusuf Besigi who had beaten the same U20 women at WAFU B in 2019 and had won the Gold of the All African Games with the Black Queens in 2015.

Ghana and Nigeria advance to the world U20 women's cup in Columbia (which is hosting the world in that category for the 3rd time) 31st August  to 22nd September 2024.

Ugandan babes clinched the Bronze from Senegal 6-5 on penalties after a goalless regular time.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.