Nigeria’s Super Falcons have secured a place in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a narrow 1-0 win over Botswana in Thursday’s Group B clash.
Chinwendu Ihezuo, coming off the bench once again, delivered the decisive moment with a second-half strike that shattered Botswana’s hopes of a comeback and extended Nigeria’s winning run in the tournament.
The Falcons entered the tie with momentum, having defeated Tunisia 3-0 in their opener. Botswana, on the other hand, were under pressure after suffering a 1-0 loss to Algeria.
Though Nigeria dominated possession and dictated the pace, Botswana’s disciplined defending kept the game goalless at halftime. In search of more attacking firepower, coach Justin Madugu introduced Esther Okoronkwo, Christy Ucheibe, and Ihezuo at the break.
However, a setback came when Deborah Abiodun received her second yellow card of the tournament in the 55th minute, ruling her out of the Falcons’ final group match. Jennifer Echegini was sent in to replace her and came close to scoring twice, only to be denied by goalkeeper Sedilame Bosija.
Eventually, Ihezuo stepped up in the closing stages to break the deadlock, sealing the win for Nigeria. The result leaves the Falcons at the top of Group B with six points, while Algeria follow with four. Tunisia and Botswana sit third and fourth with a point each.
With one match to go, Nigeria are now guaranteed a spot in the knockout phase.
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