By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 6, 2023

Record African champions Super Falcons survived an early onslaught from Cape Verde to beat the island nation 2-1 in Praia on Tuesday and qualify for next year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on 7-1 aggregate,  The PUNCH reports.

A second-half goal from substitute Esther Okoronkwo and a late stoppage-time winner from captain Rasheedat Ajibade ensured that the Falcons won the last phase of the qualifiers 2-1 after their emphatic 5-0 win in the first leg in Abuja on Thursday.

Stand-in Falcons coach Justin Madugu kept faith with the starting IX that defeated Silvéria Nédio’s side 5-0 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

Madugu retained Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal, with Rofiat Imuran playing from left-back, while veteran defender Osinachi Ohale played at right-back.

Oluwatosin Demehin and Akudo Ogbonna took control at the centre of defence, while Peace Efih joined Toni Payne and Deborah Abiodun in the middle.

In the absence of Barcelona forward, Asisat Oshoala, Monday Gift led the attack, while Uchenna Kanu and captain Ajibade operated from the wings.

However, the hosts started on the front foot as Ivania Moreira grabbed the opener just eight minutes into the game.

The Cape Verdeans kept pushing for the second goal and almost scored again in the 14th minute but the Nigerians held on.

The Falcons first attempt at goal came in the 18th minute as Madugu’s side threatened to level matters through their first corner kick but failed to beat goalkeeper Jacinta Rodrigues.

The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the hosts but the Nigerians had started finding their rhythm.

Whatever Madugu, who made two substitutions at the start of the second half — Esther Onyenezide and Okoronkwo in place of Efih and Kanu respectively — told his players during the break, worked wonders as the Falcons began the second period in dominant fashion.

Substitute Okoronkwo found the back of the net in the 55th minute but her effort was ruled out for offside, but the forward would not be denied again in the 66th minute, when she scored from a fine solo effort to draw level.

Three minutes later, the Falcons almost doubled their lead but Payne couldn’t beat Rodrigues, after she was nicely set up by Okoronkwo.

But the Falcons kept on piling the pressure and created loads of chances as they pushed for the winner, with Ajibade, substitute Rinsola Babajide and Monday all coming close but saw werehwarted by Rodrigues.

As it increasingly looked like the game was poised to end in a draw, captain fantastic Ajibade scored three minutes into added time — her fourth goal in her last four games for the Falcons — to ensure victory for the Falcons as they comfortably secured their place for next year’s WAFCON in Morocco.

The win means Nigeria have qualified for every edition of WAFCON, with Morocco 2024 the 15th time the tournament would be held.

Nigeria are the most successful nation in the history of the tournament since it became full-scale in 1998, winning 11 of the 14 editions so far.

Equatorial Guinea won as hosts of the 2008 and 2012 editions and reigning champions South Africa won the 14th edition last year in Morocco.

Zambia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, South Africa, Senegal and Ghana are other teams that have also qualified for the 2024 WAFCON in Morocco.

Source Punch Ng

Posted December 6, 2023

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