Asisat Oshoala fires Paris 2024 qualifiers warning to Ethiopia with brace for Barcelona

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria forward, Asisat Oshoala has fired a warning shot at Ethiopia ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers doubleheader with her brace for Barcelona in a 6-1 victory over Granada 6-1 in a Spanish Liga F game on Saturday.

The Nigeria international had not found the back of the net in the past three matches, but she put the fustration behind her as she notched her first brace of the season, extending the winning run of the holders to six matches.

The European and Spanish champions have won their previous five games while Granada only boasted of a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad and four consecutive losses.

The losing run continued with an early strike from Patricia Guijarro in the sixth minute before Ona Batlle doubled the lead in the 29th minute.

19-year-old Salma Paralluelo increased the lead to three in the 59th minute before Mariona Caldentey made it four in the following seven minutes.

Oshoala finally got to end her three-match goal drought as she struck twice in the space of two minutes in the 80th and 82nd minute respectively to seal the big win for the Catalan side.

Granada, however managed pulled a goal back at the death thanks to Laura Maria Perez in a consolatory finish.

Oshoala played the duration of the goal and increased her goal tally in the league to three after five games.

On the other hand, Nigeria-eligible forward, Edna Imade replaced Carlota Suarez Crespo in the 46th minute and could not add to her opening day goal against Real Sociedad.

Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the campaign with six wins out of six games.

They will next meet Toni Payne’s Sevilla FC on November 5, 2023, after the women’s football international break.