Nigeria’s Super Falcons cruised to a 5-0 victory over Comoros on Tuesday at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, sealing a 7-0 aggregate win to advance to the third round of the African qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Toni Payne and Uchenna Kanu both scored twice, while Christy Ucheibe converted a penalty to complete the emphatic victory. The result confirmed Nigeria’s progression after their 2-0 win in the first leg, keeping their Olympic qualification campaign firmly on track.
The Super Falcons broke the deadlock in the 41st minute when Payne finished off a well-worked move created by Kanu. Nigeria went into the break with a narrow advantage before Kanu doubled the lead in the 57th minute, heading home a delivery from Folashade Ijamilusi.
Payne struck again in the 64th minute after Blessing Okpe created the opportunity with a determined run past Comoros defenders. Three minutes later, Kanu completed her brace with another well-placed header from an Ijamilusi cross, putting Nigeria firmly in control.
Okpe continued to trouble the Comoros defence and won a penalty after being fouled inside the box. Ucheibe stepped up in the 72nd minute and calmly converted from the spot to make it 5-0, capping a dominant performance from the Nigerian side.
However, the victory was overshadowed by an injury to captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who was visibly emotional as she was stretchered off the pitch and taken down the tunnel. Ajibade had been influential before the incident, and her potential absence could be a concern for interim coach Augustine Eguavoen as Nigeria prepare for a tougher challenge.
The Super Falcons will face Morocco in the third round after the Atlas Lionesses advanced following the withdrawal of the Republic of Congo from their second-round tie.
Nigeria can draw confidence from their 3-2 victory over Morocco in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but the upcoming encounter is expected to pose a significant test as they continue their pursuit of a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
