Ikpeba Faults Super Falcons 'Tough' AWCON Victory And Cameroon Losing 2019 AFCON Hosting Rights

Former Super Eagles striker and 1997 African Footballer of the Year Victor Ikpeba has faulted the performance of the Super Falcons players  at the 2018 Africa Women's Nations Cup despite Nigeria's triumph at the 11th edition of the Nations Cup in Ghana.

Thomas Dennerby led the defending champions to a historic ninth title defeating South Africa 4-3 on penalty after the final showpiece ended scoreless in 120 minutes due to extra time being required after regulation time.

"You can't fault the commitment of the girls but it saddens me that with the quality of players that we have, we can't match Cameroon or South Africa. We needed penalties to defeat them. Even against Zambia and Equatorial Guinea, we won but it was tough," Ikpeba said on Monday Night Football, a magazine show on Supersport.

"Asisat Oshoala had a disappointing tournament. We were fortunate to win the title. These countries we struggled against don't even have women's football leagues.  

" People say you don't have to play well to win but we should play with panache, we are the champions of Africa champions. We have great players like Oshoala, Ordega, Oparanozie," the onetime AS Monaco and Borrusia Dortmund star stressed.

Ikpeba also expressed dismay over the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to strip Cameroon of the hosting rights of next year's AFCON.

"If CAF knew that Cameroon were not ready for the tournament, why award it to them in the first place," the 'Prince of Monaco' asked.

"CAF could have been patient with Cameroon. They don't need to have the most beautiful stadiums in Africa to host the Nations Cup.

"They have been deprived but I don't believe that it is because the former CAF president stopped Madagacar, the country of the incumbent CAF president hosting of an U-17 tournament that this has happened," Ikpeba concluded.

Izuchukwu Okosi