Nigeria come from two down to be crowned African champions

Nigeria staged a remarkable fightback from two goals down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 and win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.

Esther Okoronkwo and Folashade Ijamilusi led the fight back at Rabat’s Stade Olympique before substitute Jennifer Echegini swept home an 88th-minute winner.

Morocco skipper Ghizlane Chebbak and dribbling winger Sanaa Mssoudy scored in the first half-hour to see the home team take a surprise lead as they sought to become only the fourth country to take the continental title after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.

A capacity crowd saw Chebbak increase her tournament tally to five goals as she fired home from the edge of the area in the 12th minute after Nigeria had failed to clear properly.

Mssoudy’s goal came 12 minutes later, after Morocco striker Ibtissam Jraidi had crashed into centre back Marvis Ohale and the ball spilt out for Mssoudy to cut