Mission X: Super Falcons Take Three Points Off Botswana, Qualify For Quarter Finals

Nigeria’s campaign for a 10^th continental title at the 13^th 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 48^th minute and the energetic Plumptre saw her tricky shot heaved over the sticks by goalkeeper Maitumelo Bosija in the 64^th minute.

Substitute Jennifer Echegini came close with a snapshot in the 71^st minute, and then called upon the agility of South Africa-based Bosija with an angled shot in the 82^nd 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 33^rd 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 66^th minute was dismissed by the referee. Subsequently, a free kick taken by defender Odinaka Okoro in the 76^th 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.