Asisat Oshoala and Toni Payne Fire Super Falcons Past Teranga Lionesses in WAFCON Warm-Up

Defending champions Nigeria Women’s National Football Team began preparations for their 14th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign on a winning note, defeating Senegal Women’s National Football Team 2-1 in an international friendly at Ikenne-Remo on Friday.

The Super Falcons delivered a composed and controlled performance, asserting their dominance for much of the contest as they continued preparations for the continental showpiece in Morocco.

Nigeria broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute after being awarded a penalty. Veteran striker Asisat Oshoala confidently converted from the spot to mark her return to the national team with a goal. It was Oshoala’s first appearance for the Super Falcons since the WAFCON 2024 final, and she wasted little time in making her presence felt.

The hosts maintained their momentum after taking the lead, moving the ball with purpose and consistently testing the Senegalese defence.

Their pressure paid off again in the 43rd minute when Toni Payne doubled Nigeria’s advantage with a well-taken finish following an impressive attacking move. Like Oshoala, Payne was also making her first appearance for the Super Falcons since WAFCON 2024 and underlined her value with a strong display.

The nine-time African champions controlled the tempo throughout most of the match, limiting Senegal’s opportunities and managing possession effectively.

Senegal, however, found a late response in the 86th minute, reducing the deficit and creating a brief spell of pressure. Nigeria remained composed in the closing stages to secure the victory.

The match was notable as the first-ever senior meeting between the Super Falcons and the Teranga Lionesses, adding extra significance to a fixture designed to aid both teams’ preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The two sides will meet again in a second friendly at the same venue on June 8, with head coach Justine Madugu expected to continue assessing his squad ahead of the tournament.

Nigeria will be aiming to successfully defend their continental crown when the competition kicks off in Morocco later this year.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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