Guest: Masebe Qina | Journalist at Soccer Laduma
Morocco and Nigeria go head-to-head in Rabat for the 2025 WAFCON Cup. Zain Johnson and Soccer Laduma journalist, Masebe Qina unpack the final showdown between a fearless host and a relentless champion
Early Breakfast with Africa Melane is 702’s and CapeTalk’s early morning talk show. Experienced broadcaster Africa Melane brings you the early morning news, sports, business, and interviews politicians and analysts to help make sense of the world. He also enjoys chatting to guests in the lifestyle sphere and the Arts. All the interviews are podcasted for you to catch-up and listen.
Thank you for listening to this podcast from Early Breakfast with Africa Melane
For more about the show click https://buff.ly/XHry7eQ and find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/XJ10LBU
Listen live on weekdays between 04:00 and 06:00 (SA Time) to the Early Breakfast with Africa Melane broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3N
Subscribe to the 702 and CapeTalk daily and weekly newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc
Follow us on social media:
702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702
702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702
702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/
702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702
702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702
CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk
CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk
CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk
CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Transcript
I think we've just successfully put an earworm into your
brain this morning, so you'll be singing that song for
the rest of the morning. Well, it is soccer time
and as we missed out of course on the finals
and now playing for the third place against Ghana, sokker
La Duma journalist Massibitleina joins us on the show this
(00:24):
morning as we head into the highly anticipated Women's Africa
Cup of Nation's final between the host nations Morocco and
the record nine time champions Nigeria. Good morning, Massiba, and
a very good morning to you, and welcome to the
Early Breakfast show.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Good morning the thanks and Coret to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Nigeria's chasing a tenth title and I think they will
all be celebrating if they do get this. But can
they actually pull it off against the home team this weekend? Yeah, well.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
They are their experience, like you mentioned, they want it
nine times already, so yeah, they are better than any
other nation in Africa in this combination. I mean, their
experience speaks of volumes. They've got a chance. They've got
a chance. But to say they'll ruin it, ash, I'm
(01:26):
not too confident to say that because they're playing a
side that has been on their rise in recent years,
and the fact that they are hosts and they will
be having like more than forty one thousand spectators betting
(01:50):
them in Rabert puts him puts them in a position
to to to go all the way and fight and
causing set. I think.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
So Morocco's defense is considered in every game. Could that
be their undoing or have they probably strengthened that for
this particular final.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I think them worked on it because as much as
have as they have been conceding, but they have at
least been winning matches. So yeah, I've watched them a
couple of times, and I think the coach is something
that has been focusing on and they're knowing the strength
(02:34):
of Nigeria, I think I think they will have a
solution for that. And yeah, they know that this could
be once in a lifetime opportunity, maybe an opportunity like
this who won't come again anytime soon, So if they
missed this, so they'll have to title their defense and
(02:56):
make sure that they're prepared.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Morocco probably feel that they are the underdogs, but not
necessarily feel that they've already lost the game because they're
going to come back with a fighting chance. So how
much of an advantage is it then form a rocker
to be playing at home in front of a packed
fifty thousand or about stadium. Certainly that must be an
(03:19):
advantage when you're playing on your home field.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Definitely, it's an advantage. Like I say, we expect it
not less than like forty thousand at at the Olympia
Stadium and a bad of fans to be there to
besting them so far, looking at how they've done, I
mean the country has been electrified. Everyone now is out
(03:47):
there to show them that. Guys, girls, we're here for you.
You've got our support. Just go and do the business
on the field. I mean, it's more than just football
at the stays at the stage, it's it's like a
national pride. They know that, they know that and yeah,
if you remember very well, they did play in Nigeria
(04:13):
in twenty twenty two in the in the in the
semifinals and they beat them on penalties. So when they
when they reached their first ever of COLL final, which
they played against US South Africa and lost, so they
will have those memories in their minds going to that
game to say we've beaten the guys at international stage before.
(04:37):
It's not like they are untu w we can pull
off another upset. So yeah, we're expecting a very entertaining match.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Chatting this morning to Soccer the DUMA journalist Massib Clinic
joining us this morning for a chat about the highly
anticipated Women's Africa Cup of Nations final between the host
nation Morocco and record nine time champions in Nigeria. Looking
back at the tournament, Massie, as a whole, how would
(05:06):
you rate the overall caliber of women's football on display
at this year's WLF Cone.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I've been following the Wolf Gone over the years. It's
every edition of the competition is there's improvement. There's improvement.
I mean you've got to give it to the organizers
and the coaches, the players and everyone involved. I mean
this year's tournament tactically, teams have been sharper and yeah,
(05:38):
physicality of players, the pressing, goalkeeping has improved and yeah,
and the support understands has been improving. So yeah, there's
there's been improvement all around us.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I've been impressed are the end of the players, one
or two players that have stout at mostly for you
across the entire competition.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I must say from from from Nigeria, I've been impressed
with Abada Russia, Dad Russia. She has been impressive and yeah,
doing very well. And yeah, I must say, even though
we were lost, I think Linda Linda, Linda Mahalo and
(06:31):
the goalkeeper Andy Le despite the mistake in the in
in that game against Nigeria, I think she has improved
a lot. And though those those three ladies, I think
they have been they caught my eye.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
The reigning champions Banana and now shift the focus obviously
to the bronze medal against Ghana. How do you sort
of assess the coach Desuel Elis's performance and leadership throughout
the wolf Con champion and you know they would at
least hopefully playing Ghana bringing back the bronze medal for
(07:07):
us playing Ghana today.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Look, I rate coaches very highly and nothing has changed
for me about her. She is one of the best.
Having played the game and having achieved a lot as
a coach. I think she she did very well despite
(07:32):
despite us having missed out on rushing the final. But
we still have something to play for. I mean, the
way she's managed to to to to to integrate a
new talent while still competing at the top. I mean,
I mean it's like preparing even for for for next editions.
(07:59):
Having said that, I think we can go all the
way and win that game against Khanna and bring that
to a bronze metal.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Brocca plays Nigeria, you know, and a head to head
in robots tomorrow evening at about ten o'clock. You think
it's a kickoff time, and as a soccer journalist, Massib,
I'm going to have to ask you to put your
your money on the line and tell me what is
your prediction for the match, whether whether you put your
(08:29):
money on Nigeria, you know, kind of winning it comfortably.
Will you go with the sort of opposition side who
hopefully maybe might just be strong and beat the Nigerians
and kind of bring that trophy back to Morocco.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Like I end it, Ellie, Yeah, taking Merton away from
from Nigeria having done so well in this competition over
the years, and then they expert and the experience they have,
I think I think we might just see an upset.
(09:09):
It will be close game, it will be close game.
But if Morocco can can can score, can can can
score an eligo just to get a crowd confident and
all of that, I think they may just pull off
a big upset of the tournament and winter.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
That is Sucker Duma journalist Messi Betina, thank you so
much for your time this morning chatting to us about
very much anticipated the women's Africa Cup of Nations final
between the host nation Morocco and record nine time champions Nigeria.
On the way, you're putting your money on May, but
it will be an interesting match to watch
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.