Latest News
Super Falcons 1-0 The Mares: Chinwendu Ihezuo’s last gasp goal separates Nigeria from Botswana to seal quarter final spot
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team has to rely on a late goal from Pachuca forward, Chinwendu Ihezuo to seal a 1-0 win over Botswana in their second Group B match of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Thursday.
The winning goal was an tense finish and classic example of perseverance paying off for the Super Falcons.
Ihezuo’s late goal was a perfect reward for Nigeria’s patience and tactical discipline.
It was a tough match—Botswana’s defense was resolute, and their goalkeeper really kept them in the game for a long time. But once Jennifer Echegini and Esther Okoronkwo came on, the tempo shifted dramatically.
Echegini and Okoronkwo made the difference. Their energy and creativity in the final third cracked open a stubborn Botswana defense.
A striker’s instinct—right place, right time, calm under pressure for Ihezuo who scored the match winner.
Botswana can hold their heads high. They were organized and disciplined, and just lacked that final piece in attack.
Overall, this win shows Nigeria has depth on the bench and the grit to grind out results under pressure. If they can build on this momentum, they will be dangerous in the quarter-finals.
Algeria’s 0-0 draw with Tunisia ensured that Nigeria with a maximum of six points made it to the knockout stage with a match to spare against Algeria.
