Nigeria defeated Cameroon 4-2 on penalties to reach the Africa Women Cup of Nations final following a goalless draw in Accra on Tuesday.
The shootout victory put the Super Falcons into their ninth final, where they will meet either South Africa or Mali on Saturday, and also qualifies them for the 2019 World Cup.
Despite struggling against the Indomitable Lionesses for the majority of the contest, the eight-time African champions made no mistake from the spot.
Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi was the heroine, making a decisive save from Aurelie Awona to give Nigeria the advantage, before Cameroon’s Genevieve Ngo hit the woodwork as the Central Africans faltered.
Onome Ebi, Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala and Ngozi Ebere all converted their spot kicks for the Falcons.
Cameroon had been the better side from kickoff, with the duo of Ajara Nchout and Gabrielle Onguene asking questions of the Nigerian defence without having a clear sight of Oluehi’s goal.
The Falcons struggled to assert their dominance, and had to rely on Ngozi Okobi’s effort from outside the area to force a save from goalkeeper Annette Ngo Ndom, who was largely untested.
Ngo’s fierce long-range strike after the hour mark was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock, but her effort was comfortably gathered by Oluehi.
With neither team finding a winner, the Falcons ultimately needed a shootout to bag their eighth World Cup final berth.
South Africa and Mali meet later on Tuesday in the second semi-final.
