Nigeria’s Super Falcons yesterday defeated the Lionesses of Cameroon 1-0 in a crucial second-leg qualifier for the 2024 Olympics Women’s Football Tournament at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja. The 9-time champions’, Esther Okoronkwo’s 15th-minute goal separated Nigeria and Cameroon in a highly tense 180-minute battle over two legs. Interestingly, after 105 minutes of scoreless play (90 minutes in Douala and 15 minutes in Abuja), the Henan FC of China forward took matters into her own hands.
Latching onto the ball from a long thrust out of the defense, Okoronkwo outpaced her markers and got close to the byline before finding captain Rasheedat Ajibade, whose chip was parried by the brilliant goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, only onto the path of the onrushing Okonronkwo who finished with poise. Jennifer Echegini, whose goal was disallowed in Douala on Friday blazed over the sticks in the 13th minute, before Okoronkwo’s brilliant shot. In the 32nd minute, Cameroon came very close from a corner kick when Menene Meyong got her head to the ball, but goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie stopped its progress to the far corner. Ajibade and Okoronkwo had efforts barred by Bihina, and Cameroon’s Mana Lamine blazed over the bar with two minutes left in the first period.
In the second half, Bihina kept out all efforts by Ajibade, Echegini and substitutes Akudo Ogbonna and Asisat Oshoala. On the hour mark, Cameroon thought they had equalized when Marie Ngah Manga got her head to a cross by the energetic substitute Marie Enganemben, but Nnadozie stretched full length to parry the ball out of danger. The Lionesses finished with 10 men when the volatile Enganemben pushed Nnadozie during a bizarre rush by Cameroonian players to touch Nnadozie’s net. Consequently. The victory for the Super Falcons pitches them against the reigning African champions – South Africa in the final leg of the qualifiers in April.
