Nigeria Players Abroad
Francisca Ordega shines in CSKA Moscow’s big win over Sovetov in Russian opener
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria forward Francisca Ordega showcased her prowess on the field as her team, CSKA Moscow, dominated FK Krylya Sovetov Samara with a resounding 5-0 victory in the opening game of the 2024 Russian Supreme Division women’s league season.
CSKA Moscow’s Margarita Chernomyrdina initiated the scoring spree, finding the net in the 25th minute to set the tone for the match.
Shortly after the start of the second half, Ordega displayed her goal-scoring skills by doubling the lead for the home team just three minutes into the half.
Nadezhda Smirmova extended CSKA Moscow’s lead further with a goal in the 64th minute, pushing the scoreline to 3-0 in favor of the hosts.
Chernomyrdina added another goal to her tally in the dying moments of the second half, making it 4-0 for CSKA Moscow.
Before the final whistle blew, Smirmova secured her second goal of the match, sealing the impressive 5-0 victory for CSKA Moscow.
Following this commanding performance, CSKA Moscow, alongside their rivals Lokomotiv Moscow, claimed an early lead at the top of the league table.
Looking ahead, Ordega aims to earn a spot in the Super Falcons squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics Qualifiers clash against South Africa next month.
Despite her absence in the previous round of qualifiers, where the team secured a 1-0 aggregate victory over Cameroon, Ordega remains hopeful of contributing to Nigeria’s success on the international stage.
