December 05, (THEWILL) On Tuesday evening, the Super Falcons defeated Cape Verde 2-1 in the second leg of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The match, played at Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, saw the ladies fight back from a goal down to win 7-1 on aggregate and book their place in the 2024 finals.
The first half started poorly for interim coach Justin Madugu’s unchanged XI as Cape Verde striker Ivania Moreira put the home side ahead in the 8th minute. The hosts nearly doubled their lead from a 14th-minute corner but Nigeria survived the scare. At the break, Moreira’s solitary strike separated the sides.
Hoping to overturn the deficit, Madugu made attacking substitutions at half-time with Peace Efih making way for Esther Onyenezide and Esther Okoronkwo replacing Uchenna Kanu up front. The changes ultimately paid dividends. On 62 minutes Okoronkwo scored a fine solo goal to restore parity.
With the tie well-balanced, both teams had chances to take the lead. Toni Payne was denied by the Cape Verde keeper while Rasheedat Ajibade fired wide. However, in the 93rd minute, the Atlético de Madrid forward made amends to score and secure the Super Falcons’ passage to the 2024 finals with a dramatic late winner.
The 7-1 aggregate victory caps a successful qualification campaign for Madugu’s side as they look ahead to adding to their nine WAFCON titles in 2024.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
