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Chinwendu Ihezuo came to Nigeria’s rescue on Thursday night, scoring a crucial late goal to hand the Super Falcons a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Botswana and a place in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The win at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca keeps Nigeria top of Group B with six points from two matches and extends their unbeaten start to the tournament.
After a barren first half and relentless second-half push, laced with multiple missed chances, the Super Falcons still had the last laugh.
Ihezuo struck in the 88th minute; netting her second goal in as many matches.
This ensured that Nigeria took all three points in a match they largely dominated but struggled to unlock.
A game of patience and pressure
Nigeria came into the contest fresh off a convincing 3–0 win over Tunisia and seeking early qualification to the last eight.
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Botswana, meanwhile, were still smarting from a narrow 1–0 loss to Algeria and hoped to stage an upset.
From the onset, the Super Falcons controlled the tempo, with a revamped front line following halftime substitutions.
Head coach Justine Madugu introduced fresh legs early in the second half, withdrawing veteran striker Asisat Oshoala and Toni Payne for Esther Okoronkwo and Christy Ucheibe, while Rinsola Babajide made way for the eventual match-winner Ihezuo.
Despite the injection of energy and attacking intent, Nigeria struggled to break through Botswana’s disciplined and resilient defence, led by their ever-reliable goalkeeper, Sedilame Bosija.
Bosija was in top form once again, pulling off several key saves to deny Nigeria, most notably in the 82nd minute when she thwarted a powerful strike from Jennifer Echegini.
Earlier, Echegini had also come agonisingly close in the 71st minute with a curling left-footed effort that flashed narrowly wide of the post.
But with just two minutes left on the clock, the pressure finally paid off.
A quick Nigerian move down the flank was finished clinically by Ihezuo, who slammed home the winner, sparking wild celebrations on the Falcons’ bench.
“Mission X” on track
Nigeria’s win confirms their place in the WAFCON quarterfinals, continuing their pursuit of a record-extending 10th continental title.
The Falcons have now won their last four group-stage matches across WAFCON editions, scoring ten goals and conceding none in that run.
Thursday’s victory also marked the first time since 2014 that Nigeria opened a WAFCON campaign with back-to-back group wins — a sign that Madugu’s team is building momentum at the right time.
Group B: Tight race for second spot
In the other Group B match played earlier in the day, Tunisia and Algeria played out a tense 0–0 draw at Stade Père Jégo, a result that leaves the group finely poised.
Algeria, now on four points, are in pole position to join Nigeria in the knockout stage. Tunisia, on one point, must defeat Botswana in their final group game to stand a chance of progressing to the quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
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Meanwhile, Nigeria face Algeria in their last group match on Sunday — a fixture that could decide the final standings and possible quarterfinal pairings.
WAFCON 2024 – Group B Standings (After Matchday 2):
1. Nigeria – 6 pts (Qualified)
2. Algeria – 4 pts
3. Tunisia – 1 pt
4. Botswana – 0 pts
Next Fixtures (Sunday):
Nigeria vs Algeria
Botswana vs Tunisia
With qualification now secured, Nigeria’s Super Falcons will shift focus to topping the group, but the “Mission X” objective of lifting a 10th WAFCON title is far from over.
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