Chinwendu Ihezuo scored late in the second half to earn Nigeria’s Super Falcons a 1–0 win over Botswana in their second group game at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
The nine-time African champions fought hard to secure maximum points against a resilient Botswana side at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, Morocco, becoming the first team to book a place in the tournament’s quarter-finals.
Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu named the same starting XI that defeated Tunisia 3–0 in their opening match last Sunday, with Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal and Asisat Oshoala spearheading the attack.
Nigeria failed to make their sustained possession count, as both sides were unable to break the deadlock in the first half. Madugu made a triple change in the second half, bringing on Esther Okoronkwo, Christy Ucheibe, and Ihezuo to replace the trio of Oshoala, Toni Payne, and Omorinsola Babajide.
Deborah Abiodun, meanwhile, was shown a yellow card 10 minutes into the second half and will miss Nigeria’s final group game against Algeria. The midfielder was replaced by Jennifer Echegini in the 70th minute, and the substitute almost opened the scoring, but her effort was just wide.
Echegini came close once again to putting the Super Falcons ahead, but was denied by Botswana’s goalkeeper, Sedilame Boseja.
Nigeria would not be denied a third time, and Ihezuo found the breakthrough with a sweeping finish from a deflection shot by Okoronkwo in the 89th minute. The two substitutes have combined for a goal in back-to-back games, with Ihezuo scoring her second of the tournament.
The win takes the Super Falcons to six points and keeps them top of Group B, while Algeria sit second with four points, following a goalless draw with Tunisia earlier in the day.
The Super Falcons will face the Green Ladies at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca on Sunday, 13 July, while Tunisia and Botswana will meet on the same day at Stade Père Jégo, with both matches kicking off simultaneously.
