The Super Falcons of Nigeria beat Cape Verde 2-1 away from home to seal an emphatic 7-1 aggregate win and seal their spot at the next Women's Africa Cup of Nations in 2024.
Nigeria have qualified for the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco following an emphatic 7-1 aggregate win against Cape Verde.
The Super Falcons confirmed the feat with a comeback 2-1 win away at Cape Verde in Praia after initially thrashing the same opponents 5-0 in Abuja in the reverse fixture.
Cape Verde took the lead in the second leg through an early goal when Ivania Moreira scored in the eighth minute to spark an improbable comeback.
However, the longer the game progressed without another goal, the more Cape Verde's chances of a comeback faded away and completely eroded when Nigeria equalised.
Esther Okoronkwo came off the bench just two minutes into the second half and turned the game on its head, initially scoring in the 55th minute but the goal was ruled offside.
The Spain-based forward continued to impose herself on the game and scored the equaliser for real this time in the 62nd minute with a wonderful solo effort.
Okoronkwo continued to disturb the Cape Verdian defence but it was Rasheedat Ajibade who scored the winning goal on the night with a 93rd-minute goal.
Super Falcons qualify for WAFCON 2024
The bulk of the job for the Super Falcons had been done in the first leg in Abuja where they ran riot and won 5-0 thanks to a goal from Gift Monday, and a brace each from Uchenna Kanu and substitute Esther Okoronkwo.
18:10 - 30.11.2023
Nigeria 5-0 Cape Verde: Okonkwo and Kanu-inspired Super Falcons thrash Blue Sharks in WAFCON tie
It's advantage Nigeria after a dominant five-star performance from the Super Falcons against Cape Verde in the first leg of the WAFCON qualifiers.
The Super Falcons return to Morocco to try and redeem their image which was damaged at the last WAFCON in 2022 also in the same country.
South Africa emerged champions of WAFCON 2022, beating Morocco in the final while Nigeria got knocked out in the semis and lost the third-place playoff to Zambia.