2014 African Women's Championship

The 2014 African Women's Championship, the 11th edition of the tournament, was held in Namibia.[1] This tournament, organized by the Confederation of African Football, was also a qualification tournament for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, with top three qualifying for the finals in Canada. It was played on 11–25 October 2014.

2014 African Women's Championship
Tournament details
Host countryNamibia
Dates11–25 October
Teams8
Venue(s)2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Nigeria (9th title)
Runners-up Cameroon
Third place Ivory Coast
Fourth place South Africa
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored44 (2.75 per match)
Top scorer(s)Nigeria Desire Oparanozie
(5 goals)
Best player(s)Nigeria Asisat Oshoala
Best goalkeeperCameroon Annette Ngo Ndom
Fair play award South Africa
2012
2016

The tournament marked the first participation of Namibia in the African championship. Also for the first time the defending champions, Equatorial Guinea, were not taking part after failing to win their last qualifying round match.[2]

Nigeria defeated Cameroon 2–0 in the final to win their ninth title.[3]

Host

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Namibia were awarded the hosting rights in October 2011. This was the first time they would appear in the final tournament.

There was some criticism of the slow preparation and campaigning for the event. The national women's league was suspended this year because all money was used for hosting the continental event.[4]

Qualification

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A record 25 teams applied for the 2014 African Women's Championship.[5] The top three teams from the 2012 tournament, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa received a bye to the second round. The preliminary round was held on 13–15 February (first leg) and 28 February–2 March 2014 (second leg), while the final qualifying round was held on 23–25 May (first leg) and 6–8 June (second leg).[6]

Qualified teams
Team Method of
qualification
Previous appearances in tournament
  Namibia Hosts 0
  Algeria Second round winners 30 (2004, 2006, 2010)
  Cameroon 10 (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
  Ghana 90 (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010)
  Ivory Coast 10 (2012)
  Nigeria 10 (1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
  South Africa 90 (1995, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
  Zambia 20 (1991, 1995)

Venues

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The final tournament matches were held in two stadium venues located in Windhoek:[7]

Windhoek
Locations of the 2014 African Women's Championship venues
Windhoek
Independence Stadium Sam Nujoma Stadium
Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 10,300
 

Format

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Eight teams were divided in two groups and play a round-robin tournament. The top two placed teams advanced to the semifinals. The losers of those semifinals played in the third place match, while the winners faced off in the final. The top three placed teams qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Match officials

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12 referees and 15 assistants were announced on 5 October 2014.[8]

Referees
  •   Maximina Bernado
  •   Thérèse Raïssa
  •   Ledia Tafesa
  •   Christine Ziga
  •   Aya Irène Ahoua
  •   Damaris Kimani
  •   Kankou Coulibaly
  •   Insaf El Harkaoui
  •   Fadouma Dia
  •   Lilia Abdeljaoued
  •   Aisha Ssemambo
  •   Gladys Lengwe
Assistant referees
  •   Rosalie Tempa
  •   Botsalo Mosimanewatlala
  •   Élodie Bieiginin
  •   Mona Mahmoud Atallah
  •   Trhas Gebreyohanis
  •   Emmanuella Aglago
  •   Mary Njoroge
  •   Lidwine Rakotozafinoro
  •   Bernadette Kwimbira
  •   Fanta Idrissa Koné
  •   Souad Oulhaj
  •   Aminata Dialo
  •   Ayawa Dzodope
  •   Chafia Hendaoui
  •   Mercy Zulu

Squads

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Group stage

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The draw was held on 19 July 2014 at 19:00 local time at Windhoek, Namibia.[9][10]

All times are local (UTC+02:00).

Tiebreakers

The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[11]

  1. Greater number of points obtained in the matches between the concerned teams;
  2. Best Goal difference resulting from the matches between the concerned teams;
  3. Goal difference in all group matches;
  4. Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches;
  5. Fair Play point system in which the number of yellow and red cards are evaluated;
  6. Drawing of lots by CAF Organising Committee.

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Nigeria 3 3 0 0 12 2 +10 9 Knockout stage
2   Ivory Coast 3 1 1 1 6 6 0 4
3   Namibia (H) 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3
4   Zambia 3 0 1 2 1 9 −8 1
Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Namibia  2–0  Zambia
Williams   4'
Adams   21'
Report
Referee: Therese Raissa (Cameroon)
Nigeria  4–2  Ivory Coast
Sunday   11'
Diakité   54' (o.g.)
Oparanozie   74', 86'
Report F. Coulibaly   21' (pen.)
Lohoues   75'
Referee: Maximina Bernado (Angola)

Zambia  0–6  Nigeria
Report Okobi   2'
Ohale   6'
Oparanozie   25' (pen.), 81'
Oshoala   64'
Nkwocha   84'
Referee: Insaf El Harkaoui (Morocco)
Ivory Coast  3–1  Namibia
Nahi   13'
Nrehy   84', 90'
Report Coleman   20'
Referee: Damaris Kimani (Kenya)

Namibia  0–2  Nigeria
Report Ofoegbu   36'
Ordega   38'
Referee: Lilia Abdeljaoued (Tunisia)
Zambia  1–1  Ivory Coast
Banda   58' Report Nahi   3'
Referee: Bolokanang Lekgowe (Botswana)

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Cameroon 3 2 0 1 3 1 +2 6 Knockout stage
2   South Africa 3 1 1 1 6 3 +3 4
3   Ghana 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4   Algeria 3 1 0 2 2 7 −5 3
Source: CAF
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
South Africa  0–1  Cameroon
Report Feudjio   86'
Referee: Gladys Lengwe (Zambia)
Algeria  1–0  Ghana
Affak   87' Report
Referee: Aya Irène Ahoua (Ivory Coast)

Cameroon  2–0  Algeria
Enganamouit   17', 61' (pen.) Report
Referee: Kankou Coulibaly (Mali)
Ghana  1–1  South Africa
Cudjoe   45' Report Nongwanya   19'
Referee: Ledia Tafesa (Ethiopia)

South Africa  5–1  Algeria
Dlamini   36'
Modise   41', 87'
Mollo   70'
Makhabane   82'
Report Affak   90'
Referee: Aisha Ssemambo (Uganda)
Cameroon  0–1  Ghana
Report Cudjoe   53'
Referee: Aissata Amegee (Togo)

Knockout stage

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In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time is played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by kicks from the penalty mark to determine the winner, except for the third place match where no extra time is played.[11]

Bracket

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
22 October - Windhoek
 
 
  Nigeria2
 
25 October - Windhoek
 
  South Africa1
 
  Nigeria2
 
22 October - Windhoek
 
  Cameroon0
 
  Cameroon (a.e.t.)2
 
 
  Ivory Coast1
 
Third place play-off
 
 
25 October - Windhoek
 
 
  South Africa0
 
 
  Ivory Coast1

Semi-finals

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Winners qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Nigeria  2–1  South Africa
Oshoala   38', 45' Report Jane   67'
Referee: Damaris Kimani (Kenya)

Cameroon  2–1 (a.e.t.)  Ivory Coast
Enganamouit   60'
Manie   118'
Report Nrehy   65'
Referee: Ledia Tafesa (Ethiopia)

Third place play-off

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Winners qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

South Africa  0–1  Ivory Coast
Report Guehai   84'
Referee: Lilia Abdeljaoued (Tunisia)

Final

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Nigeria  2–0  Cameroon
Oparanozie   12'
Oshoala   43'
Report
Referee: Gladys Lengwe (Zambia)

Statistics

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Awards

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The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament.[12]

Award Player
Golden Ball   Asisat Oshoala
Golden Boot   Desire Oparanozie
Golden Gloves   Annette Ngo Ndom
Fair Play Award   South Africa

Goalscorers

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5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Own goal

Team statistics

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Pos. Team Pld W D L Pts GF GA GD
1   Nigeria 5 5 0 0 15 16 3 +13
2   Cameroon 5 3 0 2 9 5 4 +1
3   Ivory Coast 5 2 1 2 7 8 8 0
4   South Africa 5 1 1 3 4 7 6 +1
Eliminated in the group stage
5   Ghana 3 1 1 1 4 2 2 0
6   Namibia 3 1 0 2 3 3 5 −2
7   Algeria 3 1 0 2 3 2 7 −5
8   Zambia 3 0 1 2 1 1 9 −8
Total 16(1) 14 2(2) 14 46 44 44 0

Team(s) rendered in italics represent(s) the host nation(s). The competition's winning team is rendered in bold.
(1) – Total games lost not counted in total games played (total games lost = total games won)
(2) – Total number of games drawn (tied) for all teams = Total number of games drawn (tied) ÷ 2 (both teams involved)

References

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  1. ^ "Namibia to host 2014 CAF Women's Championship". starafrica.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2011-09-28.
  2. ^ "Ivorians edge holders Equatorial Guinea; Nigeria through". cafonline.com. Retrieved 2014-06-08.
  3. ^ "Nigeria beat Cameroon for seventh title". cafonline.com. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
  4. ^ "Namibia: NFA Caught On Its Heels". allafrica.com. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  5. ^ Record entries for Namibia 2014 African Women Championship
  6. ^ Fixtures IXTH African Women Championship
  7. ^ "Namibia will be ready- Oliphant". nfa.org.na. 13 March 2014. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Referees gear up for Women's tourney". cafonline.com. 5 October 2014.
  9. ^ AWC Namibia 2014 draw set for July 19
  10. ^ Hosts Namibia draw Nigeria in AWC draw
  11. ^ a b "Regulations of the African Women Championship" (PDF). Cafonline.com.
  12. ^ "Oshoala, Oparanozie claim individual honours". CAF. 26 October 2014.
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