Nigeria’s Super Falcons continued their impressive run at the ongoing Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, clinching a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Botswana on Thursday evening.
A late goal from forward Chinwendu Ihezuo sealed the win for Nigeria, marking the team’s second consecutive triumph at the tournament and guaranteeing their place in the quarterfinals with six points from two matches.
Head coach Justin Madugu stuck with his starting lineup from the previous game against Tunisia. However, a goalless and tightly contested first half prompted tactical adjustments in the second, with Esther Okoronkwo and Chinwendu Ihezuo coming off the bench to revitalize the attack.
Their impact was felt in the dying moments of the game. In the 88th minute, Ihezuo pounced on a loose ball inside the Botswana penalty area, calmly slotting home to break the deadlock and secure maximum points for the Falcons.
It was Ihezuo’s second goal of the tournament, having found the net in Nigeria’s opening 3-0 win over Tunisia. Okoronkwo and Ashleigh Plumptre also came close to scoring but were denied by Botswana’s resolute goalkeeper.
The Super Falcons will wrap up their group stage campaign against Algeria on Sunday, aiming to maintain their winning streak and top their group.
