*Now second in Group C behind leaders Banyana Banyana
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Nigeria’s Super Falcons bounced back to reckoning last night defeating Botswana 2-0 to steady their campaign in the ongoing 12th CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Rabat, Morocco.
After the cup holders slumped 1-2 in their opening game against South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, goals by US-based Ifeoma Onumonu and substitute Christy Ucheibe earned Nigeria all the three points to climb from the bottom of the table to second spot.
Onumonu who scored two of the three goals that downed Cote d’Ivoire’s Lady Elephants in the final qualifying fixture, gave the Falcons the advantage with a sweet finish in the 21st minute from an intelligent through pass crafted by Halimat Ayinde.
Prior to that, the champions looked brighter on the break than they did against South Africa, with Rasheedat Ajibade, Ifeaoma Onumonu and Francisca Ordega launching onslaughts that unsettled the Botswanans.
In the 26th minute, Nigeria could have been two goals up when Ordega found Toni Payne with a stylish pass and the defender sent the ball into the box, only for the southern Africans to clear their lines.
Two minutes later, Onumonu failed to control in good time a good pass by Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene.
Botswana had their own song in the half, with Tholakele rattling goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie from a 22-yard free-kick in the 31st minute and then shooting straight at the Nigerian goal-tender six minutes later.
Substitute Ucheibe, with her first touch of the ball, scored Nigeria’s second goal in the 48th minute when she rose highest in the box to nod home Toni Payne’s heaved effort from a corner kick.
The Super Falcons will on Sunday come up against their counterparts from Burundi, with a win certain to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals of the championship.
Francisca Ordega was however awarded the Woman-of-the-Match award to the disbelief of many ball fans across the continent who think the likes of Toni Payne, Halimat Ayinde, Alozie or even Ifeoma Onumonu were ahead of her in terms work rate in the game.
Earlier, on the day South Africa marked 30 years since return to global football after decades of apartheid-enforced isolation, the Banyana Banyana defeated Burundi 3-1 to qualify for the quarter final of the 2022 WAFCON in Rabat, Morocco.
Banyana took the lead in the 20th minute through Thembi Kgatlana but Burundi equalised 10 minutes later by Aniella Awimana. In the 32nd minute South Africa took the lead again this time off the boot of Amogelang Motau.
Kgatlana was fouled in the 53rd by Burundi goalkeeper for a penalty award to Banyana. Linda Motlhalo converted for South Africa’s third goal of the evening.
For Burundi, who had a player sent off with 20 minutes left, the defeat was a second loss for them after going down 4-2 against Botswana in their opening game.
