Second half goals from Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu secured a 2-0 away win for Nigeria’s Super Falcons in the first leg, second round of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic qualifier at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State on Friday, completesport.com reports.
After holding out to a goalless first half, Comoros resolve was finally broken on 48 minutes as Alozie opened the scoring after slotting home a headed assist from close range.
Then Kanu doubled the lead in the 59th minute as she headed home a well floated corner kick.
Despite playing the first leg in Ikenne, Comoros were the home team as they do not have a CAF approved stadium for the encounter.
The second leg comes up on Tuesday, 13 October in the same venue with the winner over the two legs progressing to the thurd round where they will face either Morocco or DR Congo.
While the Super Falcons got a bye to the second round, Comoros reached this stage after thrashing Sudan 30-0 on aggregate (17-0 and 13-0) in the first round.
Also Read: 2028 Olympics Qualifier: Eguavoen Warns Super Falcons Against Underestimating Comoros
The Super Falcons went into the tie with Comoros on the back of a disastrous 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where they lost 1-0 to eventual champions Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon.
The defeat to Cameroon cost the Super Falcons an automatic qualification to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
However, the team had a chance to be at the World Cup via the African play-in but lost 2-1 to South Africa, which ended their hopes of making it to the tournament.
By James Agberebi
5 Comments
Good game, let’s build the confidence back
Nigeria 2:0 Comoros – Retrospective Reflection
It was a competent, energetic and entertaining 2:0 winning display by the Super Falcons against Comoros in this first leg Olympic qualifier.
You wouldn’t have expected the Super Falcons to lose to Comoros but you wouldn’t have expected them to be shambolic at the recently concluded Wafcon either.
I particularly enjoyed the rotational play across the pitch. Up front, Monday, Ajibade and Kanu switched positions effortlessly which added variety to their play and instilled the forward line with tactical unpredictability.
In midfield, Payne and Echegini looked razor sharp and light on their feet.
Finally, a new lease of life was breathed to our centre back as Oladipo took her rightful place to pair with Demehin in a forward look young and vibrant pairing. This allowed Alozie to take her place in right fullback and Ogbonna at the left. They looked balanced with legs and lungs suited for the task.
There were ill-advised instances of selfishness when players at the side in the opposition 18 yard box chose to have a crack at goal instead of laying a neat pass to a better centrally located player.
The two goals were a thing of beauty and precision. For the first, a glorious inswinger was met by a beautiful backward header to Alozie neck-deep in the opposition 18 yard box for her to stab home with poise, grace and panache.
For the second, it happened so fast that even the slow motion replay failed to do it justice as can met a wicked corner kick from Echegini with a feidish strike that smacked the unfortunate goal post before lodging at the back of the net.
2:0.
What to make of this outcome? The Super Falcons played like the debacle of the outcome never happened. They were focused, compacted and determined to get a positive outcome and they did.
Kudos to everyone involved!
Demehin was held back by permit renewal, so wasn’t available for the game. Instead it was Uchebo that paired Oladipo in the central defence, flanked by Alozie and Ogbonna.
Demehin was absent. I think you meant Ucheibe. However, the sudden cry for Eguavoen to be made the permanent coach should be an agenda that should be buried immediately.
His, as well as any other local coach’s disdain for foreign born talent is a recipe for swift downhill.
Morocco with their “best league in Africa” tag have their male national team riddled with foreign born talent.
They have been Africa number one for 4 years.
Super Eagles are currently struggling because several players who should be closer to 40 are parading themselves as 28 or 29 years old giving them at least one or 2 afcon to chase and ridiculous 2030 world cup dream.
Home based racketeering (check all the subs yesterday) for me produced only Suliat as the outstanding sub yesterday.
Even if it’s obvious the tactics is to enhance player profile, when sterner tests come (WAFCON 2028 qualifiers aren’t having more fixtures since we almost draw a bye), we will be playing like the falconets.
Most likely, those foreign born exposed to modern trends players illuminate the coaching deficits so they are best kept at bay.
NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER indeed.
I fear NFF normalization committee or whatever may be deliberately delayed so that Ikpeme can keep wearing “boss” shirt whenever he’s interviewed.
NFF had better organized 3 quality friendlies for falcons next month to see if falcons have finally been weened of Madugu and his vestiges.
Thanks guys – I stand corrected; it was Ucheibe.