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By Ebenezer Bajela
Legendary Banyana Banyana forward Portia Modise has expressed her delight that the Super Falcons didn’t reach the final of this year’s edition of the Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Hosts Morocco on Monday defeated the nine-time champions in the semi-final of the competition.

Nigeria went into the fixture at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat seeking to reach the final and retain the title they won in Ghana four years ago, but they were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses, who won 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 deadlock in regular and extra-time.

Despite being reduced to nine players following the sending off of Rasheedat Ajibade and Halimotu Ayinde the nine-time African champions held Morocco to a 1-1 draw and forced the game to penalty shootout which the North Africans won 5-4.

Modise, 39, who featured for Banyana Banyana from 2000 to 2015 and scored 101 goals in 125 games, said she was delighted that Randy Waldrum’s lady didn’t get the chance to defend their title.

“I am so happy that Nigeria is not part of the final,” Modise said at a media event organized by FIFA ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

“They have been dominating us for so many years.

“But it gives them an opportunity to go back home, to go back to the drawing board and see how to come back with a winning mentality.”

Modise added that the Falcons overreliance on old players was also responsible for their defeat to Morocco.

“One thing that I see in the Nigerian team is that they don’t want to let go of the senior players,” she added.

“They need to give the young players an opportunity. Experience alone is not going to work.

“I see players that I used to play against, but now I am retired, they are still there. We need to give a chance to the young kids and young generation that are coming.”

Modise also thinks that the increase in World Cup slots to four for Africa means that more teams get to play on the big stage to help develop women’s football on the continent.

“The game is changing in the minds of a lot of people. It is now left to sponsors that need to take the risk and say they want to grow the women’s game.”