Nigeria’s campaign for a 10th continental
title at the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations plodded frontally
on Thursday after the Super Falcons bagged all three points against their
counterparts from Botswana to reach the competition’s quarter finals.
Mexico-based Chinwendu Ihezuo, scorer of the third
goal in the 3-0 rout of Tunisia on Sunday, stretched her left leg adroitly to
connect from a great pass by Esther Okoronkwo and give Nigeria the day from a
largely-scrappy encounter in Casablanca.
Refilwe Tholakele indicated early on that it was not
going to be an all-Nigeria evening, as her fierce shot from a bold move from
the Southern Africans rattled goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, who had to make a
second save as the ball spilled.
Botswana threw women in numbers behind the ball as
they opted for damage limitation, and nearly came out in flying colours as
captain Rasheed Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Toni Payne and Rinsola Babajide could
find no thoroughfare to the goal-line.
Midway into the first stanza, attack-minded defender
Ashley Plumptre surged forward again but missed a good chance from Ajibade’s
pass. Eleven minutes later, Payne skyrocketed when clear on goal from another
cross from the right.
The scrappy nature was the same in the second half,
with the opposition stifling play with numbers in midfield and defence.
Substitute Ihezuo headed over the bar in the 48th minute and
the energetic Plumptre saw her tricky shot heaved over the sticks by goalkeeper
Maitumelo Bosija in the 64th minute.
Substitute Jennifer Echegini came close with a
snapshot in the 71st minute, and then called upon the agility
of South Africa-based Bosija with an angled shot in the 82nd minute.
The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper was finally beaten
with a minute left in regulation time, when Okoronkwo foxed the Botswana
rearguard before a well-placed pass that Ihezuo converted for all three points.
The Super Falcons will take on Algeria in their last
match of group B on Sunday evening, at the same Larbi Zaouli Stadium.
WAFU B U20 Boys Tourney: Flying
Eagles
The Flying Eagles and Ghana's Black Satellites stifled one another to a 1-1 draw
in their opening match of the 2025 WAFU B U20 Boys Tournament at Ghana’s Centre of Excellence in Prampram on
Thursday.
The Black Satellites took the lead in the 26th minute, with
Captain Musbau Azeez finding the back of the net. Thereafter, the Flying Eagles faced
significant pressure from their opponents, resulting in a yellow card issued to
their captain, Daniel Bameyi, for a hard tackle in the 33rd minute.
Despite increasing pressure from the Flying Eagles in
the latter stages of
the first period, the Black Satellites took their one-nil advantage into the dressing room at recess.
Nigeria’s appeal
for a penalty in the 66th minute
was dismissed by the referee. Subsequently, a free kick taken by defender Odinaka Okoro in the 76th minute
narrowly missed the target, as
the Flying Eagles went all out for the leveller.
As the match approached its conclusion, the Flying
Eagles intensified their efforts, culminating in a corner kick awarded in the
84th minute. Mohammed Abdulahi scored with an impressive header to ensure a stalemate in the scoreline.
Nigeria’s next
game is against the Young Cheetahs of Benin Republic on Sunday.
PHOTO:
Nigeria captain Daniel Bameyi in a tango with his Ghanaian opposite number
Musbau Azeez during Thursday’s match.
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