Nigeria Players Abroad
Christy Ucheibe’s goal powers SL Benfica to Women’s Champions League group stage
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria midfielder, Christy Ucheibe rounded up the goals as her Portuguese side, SL Benfica sealed a passage into the group stage of the 2023/2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) on Wednesday.
With the first leg had ended in a whopping 7-0 win in Cyprus, the Portuguese champions earned a 4-0 win against Cyprus side, Apollon in the return leg of the second round of the UWCL qualifiers.
After a struggle for the opener in the first half, the host finally broke the deadlock in the 57th minute thanks to a goal from Leticia Almeida.
Kika Nazareth doubled the lead before Marie-Yasmine Alidou d’Abjou redeemed herself with the third goal in the 65th minute after missing a penalty earlier on.
Substitute Ucheibe, who replaced Anna Gasper in the 70th minute increased the lead to four in the 78th minute from Nycole Raysla Silva Sobrinho’s assist.
The win sealed an 11-0 victory on aggregate which ensured the qualification of SL Benfica to the group stage of the UWCL for another season.
Ucheibe joins five Super Falcons stars – Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris), Nicole Payne (PSG), Halimatu Ayinde (Rosengard), and Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica) in the group stage of the UWCL on Friday.
