AfriPulse
October 24, (THEWILL) — Nigeria’s Super Falcons claimed a 2-0 victory over Benin Republic’s Amazons in the first leg of their Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifier at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo, on Friday evening.
The result places the 10-time African champions in a strong position ahead of the return fixture scheduled for Tuesday.
Both goals arrived during the opening 45 minutes. Chinwendu Ihezuo struck first after receiving a well-executed pass from midfielder Deborah Abiodun, who split the Beninese defence.
Esther Okoronkwo then doubled the advantage before half-time, calmly finishing a one-on-one situation after evading her marker.
Abiodun’s performance in the centre of the pitch proved instrumental, with the midfielder contributing to both goals whilst helping to dictate tempo alongside Tosin Demehin and Rasheedat Ajibade.
Head coach Justin Madugu gave Taiwo Afolabi her first appearance for the Super Falcons, whilst defender Osinachi Ohale reached 80 international caps.
Reflecting on the performance, Madugu stated: “It was a solid performance, especially in the first half. We created chances, controlled the midfield, and took our opportunities. The focus now is to finish the job at home.”
The two-goal cushion means Nigeria require only a draw or a narrow defeat in the second leg to progress to the next round of qualification.
Madugu’s side made a late defensive change to maintain their clean sheet during the closing stages in Lomé. The return match will take place in Abeokuta with home support expected to bolster the team’s prospects.
Nigeria will seek to complete the qualification process and advance towards the continental tournament in Morocco.
The Super Falcons remain favourites to move forward in their campaign to compete for another African title, with Tuesday’s fixture representing the final hurdle in this qualifying round.
Author Profile
Jude Obafemi, THEWILL
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.
Source: TheWillNigeria | Read the Full Story…
