The former African champions were the better team in the country’s capital and secured an easy victory against the minnows
Uchenna Kanu and Esther Okoronkwo score twice as Nigeria beat Cape Verde 5-0 in the first leg of the second qualifying round for the 2024 Women’s African Cup of Nations at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. listed. Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria defeated Sao Tome and Principe in the first round, while Cape Verde posted an impressive 6-3 aggregate win over Liberia to set up a matchup with the Falcons.
However, they were no match for nine-time FCT champions Africa Queens on Thursday afternoon.
US-based Uchenna Kanu scored twice and Gift Monday added another in a busy first half before Esther Okoronkwo scored a superb brace from the middle.
Kanu scored his first goal for the Super Falcons in the 7th minute with a light effort from the edge of the penalty area that found the back of the net.
Moments later, goalkeeper Chiamaka Nadozier made a spectacular save to deny Cape Verde an equalizing goal.
When the Tenerife striker doubled the Falcons’ lead on Monday, stumbling home in the 25th minute, it was the wake-up call Nigeria needed.
Pitts midfielder Deborah Abiodun ran around the Cape Verdeans in midfield. However, it was Atletico Madrid midfielder Rashidat Ajibade who almost scored the third goal in the 33rd minute, but her beautiful shot went wide.
Nigeria remained undeterred and just before half-time Kanu netted his second and third from Toni Payne’s excellent pass.
Esther Okoronkwo, who was substituted by his teammate in the 53rd minute on Monday, extended Nigeria’s lead to four points an hour later with a stunning shot from Akudo Ogbonna’s cross.
Eleven minutes later, Esther Okoronkwo pounced on Lofiat Imran’s cross to score the home team’s fifth goal and their second of the match.
The match ended 5-0, marking Nigeria’s biggest win in a competitive match since defeating Equatorial Guinea 6-0 in the 2018 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Cape Verde and Nigeria will meet again on December 5th at the Estadio Nacional de Cape Verde in Praia, with Nigeria looking to maintain its lead.
