The Super Falcons of Nigeria have taken a huge step towards qualifying for the 2022 Africa Women’s Nations Cup after they laboured to win 2-0 against the Lady Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire in the first leg of the qualifiers played yesterday at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
The nine-time African champions who were determined to avenge their 2022 Olympics mishap in the hands of the Ivorians thought they had opened the scoring in the 11thminute but the referee decided otherwise as she cancelled the goal.
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The Super Falcons who struggled to impress the scanty crowd, however, got their opening goal in the 21st minute after Esther Okoronkwo set up Ifeoma Onumonu inside the box to fire the Cup holders in front to end the first half 1-0.
At the restart of the second half, Coach Randy Waldrum’s girls doubled their lead in the 56thminute when Ifeoma scored her brace. Yeaterday’s match was actually the first game for the Super Falcons at the MKO Abiola Stadium since they defeated their Senegalese counterparts 2-0 in April 2016, in the final qualifying round of the 10th Women AFCON finals held in Cameroon.
The 12-team 12th Women AFCON finals, which hold in Morocco 2nd to 23rd July, will see all four semi-finalists qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
It is also going to be the first Women’s World Cup to entertain 32 teams – same number as the men’s finals.
The Super Falcons and the Lady Elephants have a potentially explosive final leg duel inside the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on Wednesday.
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