Falcons Complete Double over Côte d’Ivoire, Qualify for 2022 WAFCON

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Nigeria’s Super Falcons avenged their sack from the 2020 Olympic Games women’s football event by completing a double over the same Lady Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire that denied them the opportunity to compete in Tokyo last year.

After their two-nil advantage from the first leg in Abuja last week, the Super Falcons completed a double over the Elephants yesterday evening in Abidjan.

Esther Okoronkwo fired the nerve-wrecking goal in the dying minutes of the game to confirmed a 3-0 aggregate win for the Super Falcons and the ticket to chase their tenth continental title at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournament in Morocco.

The Ivorians threw everything they know into the return leg encounter at the Stade Robert Champroux in the Ivorian commercial capital city but met a steely Nigerian defence and an inspired goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie who would not give an inch.

The game flowed back and forth for large swathes of the first half.

Falcons’ Coach, Randy Waldrum, made two changes to the starting line-up from the first leg, bringing in midfielder Regina Otu and forward Francisca Ordega.

The lively Ordega thought she had given Nigeria the lead halfway into the first period, but the Nigerien referee ruled it out.

In the 34th minute, Nigerien referee Zouwaira Souley awarded a penalty to the homers after judging that Ashleigh Plumptre had tripped an Ivorian striker in the Nigerian area.

Goalkeeper Nnadozie saved the shot, and the contact from the same player off the rebound went into side-netting.

The Super Falcons dug their feet into the ground in the second half, refusing to give the Lady Elephants any leeway. Plumptre, Captain Onome Ebi, Osinachi Ohale and Michelle Alozie all held their ground as the Elephants increased their onslaughts.

A minute to the end, Esther Okoronkwo, scored only her second cap for Nigeria, scored the back-breaker that confirmed a 3-0 aggregate win for the Super Falcons.