Nigeria’s Super Falcon on Tuesday at the 15,000 capacity Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, Praia emerged as the last country to qualify for the 15th Women African Cup of Nations with a 2-1 bashing of Cape Verde ending it on 7-1 goals aggregate.
The Cape Verdeans opened scoring through 30 year old Racing Power FC of Portugal Striker, Ivenia Travares Moreira in the 11th minute raising a tasking hope to erase the large goals deficit conceded in Abuja.
Clinical and strategic striker, Nigeria’s Esther Okoronkwo scored an equalizer that was ruled offside in the 56th minute but she came rampaging like a bull in a solo effort to still get the equalizer for Nigeria in the 62nd minute.
Resilient Captain called Mummy G. O. in the squad because of her always leading the girls in prayers, fasting and singing powered with the Holy Word, Rasheedat Ajibade disappointed the scanty crowd with a winner for Nigeria in the 90+3rd minute driving the Cape Verdean babes to accept the Nigerians as ‘Oga Master’.
Nigeria is ranked 32nd in the world and the best in Africa while Cape Verde is ranked 133rd in the world and 19th in Africa. Nigeria had six of her star players missing on the line up against Cape Verde namely mega African player of the Year hopefull, Assizat Oshoala; British tormentor in Chief at the world cup. Academic guru, Michelle Alozie; Never say tire, Halimat Ayinde; the one called Oyinbo, Ashleigh Plumptre; flick shot specialist, Ifeoma Onumonu and Jennifer Echegini.
The Super Falcons who have appeared in all the final tournaments and have lifted the trophy nine in 14 times is hoping for the 10th haul in Morocco next year were incidentally the last of the 12 teams to qualify for the tournament on Tuesday.
Only Yeasterday, Defending Champions, Bayana Bayana of South Africa had beaten the Stallion Babes of Burkina Faso 2-0 after drawing 1-1 at Yamoussoukro last Thursday.
At the return leg yesterday, South African Captain, Janime Van Wyk created an African record as the most capped African player, Male or Female with 185 caps for her country erasing the record of Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan that stood for 11 years with 184 caps. Jamine only played for 8 minutes on Monday.
Senegal qualifies on 4-0 agg with 4-0 in the first leg and 0-0 in the 2nd leg over Egypt; greatest slaughter was from the Copper Queens of Zambia who ‘murdered’ Angola 12 goals on agg, scoring 6-0 in each leg; Mali tied Guinea to the stakes with 10-2 agg, 7-2 in the 1st leg and 3-0 in the2nd leg yesterday.
Nigeria is the 3rd rated killer squad with the 7-1 crushing; next is Algeria that hacked Burundi 6-1 on agg 5-1 on the 1st leg and 1-0 on the 2nd leg; Tunisia hammered Congo 6-3 on agg having scored 5-2 in the 1st leg and drew 1-1 in the 2nd leg today.
Also emerging qualifiers were Black Queens of Ghana with 3-2 on agg winning 3-1 in Accra and losing 0-1 to Namibia today; Democratic Republic of Congo will be at the Morocco party having edged former champions Equatorial Guinea 3-2 on agg, won 2-1 in the 2nd leg today after playing 1-1 in the 1st leg away match; Taifa Babes of Tanzania qualified via 3-2 agg scoring 3-0 in Tanzania and losing 0-2 in Lome this evening and lastly Botswana shocked Kenya 2-1 on agg beating Kenya at their backyard 1-0 after the 1st leg ended 1-1.
Morocco that lost to South Africa in the last final when the North Africans hosted will be hosting back to back therefore making up the 12 teams to play the finals next year.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
