The Super Falcons of Nigeria made a bold opening statement at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), brushing aside Tunisia 3-0 in their Group B opener on Sunday in Casablanca.
After a minute of silence was observed in memory of former Super Eagles goalkeeper Peter Rufai, who passed away last Thursday, the game kicked off with Nigeria wasting no time taking control.
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Just four minutes in, Asisat Oshoala rose highest to head home a perfect cross from Rinsola Babajide, giving Nigeria the lead and setting the tone for a dominant first half.
The Falcons continued to push forward, with Deborah Abiodun nearly doubling the lead in the 40th minute, only to be denied by the Tunisian goalkeeper.
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Nigeria eventually found their second goal deep into first-half stoppage time.
After a lengthy VAR review, Babajide’s goal—initially disallowed for a foul in the build-up—was awarded, confirming the Falcons’ 2-0 lead at the break.
Babajide, who also assisted the first goal, delivered a standout first-half performance and celebrated her strike with a touching tribute to late Liverpool star Diogo Jota, imitating his signature celebration.
At the restart, head coach Justin Madugu made a triple substitution to manage energy levels, introducing Christy Ucheibe, Chinwendu Ihezuo, and Esther Okoronkwo.
The fresh legs kept Nigeria on the front foot, though Tunisia showed more resilience in the second half.
The North Africans thought they had a lifeline in the 78th minute when a VAR check was called for a potential penalty, but the referee waved it away after spotting a foul in the build-up.
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With less than 10 minutes to play, substitute Ihezuo added a third for Nigeria, calmly placing her left-footed shot into the bottom corner to put the game beyond doubt.
There was a special moment in the 82nd minute when Folashade Ijamilusi came on to make her WAFCON debut, replacing Toni Payne.
At full time, it was a comfortable win for the Super Falcons, who now top Group B and will be full of confidence going into their next match against Botswana.
