In a commanding performance at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, the Super Falcons secured a resounding 5-0 win against Cape Verde in the second round of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. This was their biggest win in five years.
Uchenna Kanu and Esther Okoronkwo shone with braces, contributing to Nigeria’s dominant display.
Having previously walked over São Tomé e Príncipe in the initial round, Nigeria faced a Cape Verde team that had secured a commendable 6-3 aggregate win over Liberia. However, the minnows proved no match for the nine-time African queens on Thursday afternoon.
Kanu, based in the United States, made an impact early, scoring the first goal with a simple tap from the edge of the box in the seventh minute. Gift Monday added another in the 25th minute, capitalizing on a goalmouth scramble.
Deborah Abiodun’s midfield prowess was evident, and Rasheedat Ajibade came close to making it three in the 33rd minute. Still, it was Kanu who secured the third goal just before halftime with her second of the match.
Esther Okoronkwo, stepping in for Monday in the 53rd minute, extended Nigeria’s lead to four with a sublime finish off Akudo Ogbonna’s cross shortly after the hour mark. Eleven minutes later, Okoronkwo secured her second goal, making it five for the home side.
The game concluded with a 5-0 victory for Nigeria, marking their most significant win in a competitive fixture since the 6-0 triumph against Equatorial Guinea in the 2018 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Falcons and Cape Verde will face off again for the second leg on December 5 at the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia, as Nigeria aims to maintain their advantage.
