The Super Falcons took a two-goal lead over Ghana’s Black Queens in their Women Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture thanks to a brace by Sweden –based forward Uchenna Kanu at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Wednesday.
The visitors had come close in the 11th minute when Grace Animah saw her fierce shot inside the box blocked by Onome Ebi for a corner. But it was much against the run of play and nine minutes later, Nigeria made pressure count when Kanu rose to meet a perfectly-weighted pull-out by Francisca Ordega and nodded past impressive goalkeeper Dumehasi Fafali.
Both teams threw everything they had into the match played behind closed doors on Lagos Island, knowing that the loser on aggregate would miss out on any major qualifying contest or tournament for the next two and a half years. But it was Nigeria who broke the deadlock again in the 26th minute, when Kanu rose highest in the box to meet Toni Payne’s corner kick and nodded firmly past Fafali and a clutch of watching defenders.
Former junior international Kanu had a chance to add to her impressive tally for the day when she darted past two defenders and squared for Nigeria captain Asisat Oshoala, but Fafali thwarted her plans.
Grace Asantewaa blasted a shot from just outside the box three minutes before recess, but it flew high above goalie Chiamaka Nnadozie’s post.
The Black Queens threw everything at the Super Falcons in the second half, harrying, pushing, kicking, and racing all over the place to try and cut the score down and make the second leg in Accra something to look forward to. Their efforts were stopped by veteran defender Onome Ebi, youngster Opeyemi Sunday, Glory Ogbonna, and Osinachi Ohale.
Portia Boakye, Ghana’s captain, was the usual active fighter with an uncompromising posture, and she collaborated well with Gladys Amfobea, Janet Egyir, and Ellen Coleman to limit the Super Falcon’s damage.
Princella Adubea, Vivian Konadu, and Nina Norshie fought valiantly to open the Nigerian back door.
Fafali came on in the 82nd minute to foil a plot devised by substitute Vivian Ikechukwu, keeping the score at 2-0. With less than a minute to go, Princella Adubea waltzed into the Nigeria box and found herself face to face with Nnadozie, only to have her close-range bullet parried and cleared out to safety by Ebi.
Both teams will meet again at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday at 4 p.m. Ghana time (5 p.m. Nigeria time), with the winner on aggregate qualifying for the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held in Morocco next summer.
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