Nigeria join Ghana in women's World Cup finals

LAGOS, Dec 18 (AFP) - Nigeria qualified for next year's women's World Cup finals after they trounced South Africa 5-0 in the semi-final of the Third African Championship on Wednesday.

Ghana had qualified for China in September when they beat Cameroon 3-2 after extra time on Tuesday in the first semi-final of the continental tournament taking place in the southern Nigeria city of Warri.

Both rivals represented Africa at the 1999 finals in the United States and will now clash in Friday's final with Nigeria's 'Super Falcons' poised to retire the cup they have previously won in 1998 and 2000.

It will also be a repeat of the 1998 final which Nigeria won 2-0 in Abeokuta.

In addition, pundits expect a very tight championship final after the 'Black Queens' shocked their Nigerian counterparts 1-0 in a group match at the current tournament to record the first win by an African team against the Nigerians in 12 years.