Nigeria Super Falcons have qualified for the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after a 5-0 demolition of Zambia in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Goals from Osinachi Ohale, Esther Okoronkwo, Chiwendu Ihezuo and Tosin Demehin earned the nine-time champions the comfortable win.
The Super Falcons have now scored eight goals and are yet to concede a single goals.
So far, this is the highest scoreline recorded in the ongoing tournament.
It is a third win (one defeat) in four meetings for the Nigerian team against Zambia at the WAFCON.
The Second Falcons got off to the perfect start as Ohale opened the scoring in the 2nd minute as he headed home Okoronkwo’s free kick.
Also Read: WAFCON 2024: Super Falcons Forward Sidelined With Hand Injury
In the 33rd minute Okoronkwo made it 2-0 with a left-foot strike after using her chest to bring down Rasheedat Ajibade’s cross.
Ihezuo added the third goal, capitalizing on a poor clearance by the Zambian defence, outmuscled her marrker and slotted past the keeper.
Demehin got the fourth in the 68th minute, leaping high to head home Okoronkwo’s cross.
Then in the 90th minute Ijamilusi completed the rout as she simply tapped home Ajibade’s low cross.
The Super Falcons will now face South Africa or Senegal in the semi-finals.
By James Agberebi
16 Comments
This team has improved massively from the last tournament. Based on my observations from the group stages, I noted that opponents who come out to play football, rather than pack the bus, will be put to the sword by this Madugu tutored Super Falcons.
Like I wrote before the match: “In fact, a combination of Madugu’s instructions and direction, ingenuity and adaptability of the players, proper in-game management from coach and players, and mother luck shining on them should help bring home the bacon (or puff puff, whatever tickles your fancy).”
I said it Esther Okoronkwo is a female world class player.Apparently,the best African player at the moment.
Madugu please leave Oshoala out of the competition if you must play her,let it be on the wings please.I would rather Rinesola Babajide is introduced in the second half,i think she has more to offer as a striker because Ijamulisi has tied down the left wing.
Onumonu should also sit out the competition.In the future the likes of Imade and Monday Gift should take their place.
I think im in love with Coach Madugu’s playing pattern : Very good transition from defence to attack and vice versa. This is in contrast with that of Waldrum who completely killed SF attacking instinct by relying so much on defending waiting for luck to score. ThankGod he is now gone for ever. Be that as it may, I still reserve some respect and commendation for Waldrum. I think he built the defending philosophy which the present coach is enjoying and upon which he is building his attacking outlets. The cup is coming bak for sure. Congratulations to Naija in advance.
Humble pie served.
What an efficient performance from the Super Falcons.
This was supposed to be the final b4 the final and bookmakers had shared the odds going into this game almost evenly…….alas, the Falcons I guess are saving their best for these knockouts. They were simply unrecognizable from the team we saw in the group phase……talk about turning up when it matters most.
I credit the technical bench for getting their strategy for today’s game spot on too. The initiative to press the Zambians high and not let them even get the ball to their strikers as well as taking advantage of our aerial superirority during set pieces is worth of praise. That was the joker for today’s match up.
Kudos to the sqaud, I doff my heart for today’s performance. This is the sort of performance that ellicits hope in lifiting the trophy, cos I’ve always believed we have a more talented team at this tournament. A team that has weathered some serious storm of the world cup and the olympics and ganered more experience against top teams since the last WAFCON, so the jeckyl and hyde performance in the group stage was rather fraustrating than unsatisfactory.
Indeed attack wins games, but defence wins championships…..I guess the zambians know that now. According to José Mourinho, if you don’t conceede, you don’t lose. With how our defence has stood strong not conceeding till now, we definitely aren’t losing any games at this tournament.
Congratulations to the ladies. South Africa next, Morrocco thereafter.
That’s what I call a comprehensive and statement win, wotowoto is an understatement, what a game, now ladies we need take this to the world stage.
I will jump the gun and put my neck out there; I believe the Super Falcons will win the cup. It will take a lot for them not too. They’re defensively superior and a good bench. They’re simply the best and most organised team in this competition. If any competition, South Africa will be the toughest but the Super Falcons will overcome that foe.
As always, much praise to the Super Falcons for consistently been on the top level.
And good one for the coach Madugu. He got his tactics right in this game.
Hopefully, he sustains it till mission X is successful.
Top Top Top
Performance from the coaching crew to the team
God bless Nigeria. God Loves Nigeria. No matter the hates. God loves Nigerian people.
Esther Okoronkwo is the best female player in Africa at the moment. She is very talented and a joy to watch. Much respect Esther. She deserves the next African female player of the year award.
The likes of Imade and Gift Monday should also be invited to strenghten the Super Falcons in future
The last time I wrote Okoronkwo greater than onumotapiapia I got a diss. Lol congratulations get ready for RSA.
This was a commanding performance that has sent shivers down the spine of pompous-over-nothing South Africans and win-by-every-trick Moroccans. The team clearly did their homework, in contrast to the naive Zambian coach who focused her tactics on her attack, paying less attention to her defensive play.
As suggested severally by fans, the Super Falcons today set up to:
1. Neutralize Zambia’s attack duo of Banda and Koundaji, which was done to devastating effect by Demehin and Ohale in particular, with Plumptre and Alozie beautifully cutting off supplies and intercepting plays.
2. The team clearly practiced shooting accuracy, which had been their bane in the previous games. For example, it was delightful watching Ohale, Okoronkwo, Ihezuo being calm and cooly slotting the balls on target, rather than hitting their shots blindly and hoping they found the frame of the net.
3. The defence knew Zambia’s tactics were one-dimensional. Banda or Koundaji gives the other player a defence-splitting pass, which catches the defenders and goalkeeper unawares. I noticed how, in addition to the great marshaling works of the SF defence, Nnadozie was also always quick to come out to intercept stray passes at the back.
Congratulations to the team and the technical bench. It was masterclass preparation that went according to plan on the field.
However, note that the coaches of SA and Morocco are foxes of the game too. Unlike the naive Zambian coach who just focused on her team’s strengths, they study opponents well and try to exploit their weaknesses as well.
You’ve nailed it Kel.. This is what I have been trying to say to fans: when you analyse your team’s performance, learn to see it from the lens of the opposition’s performance.
Although I am a fan of what Madugu is trying to do, I am not at all carried away by this 5:0 outcome.
The Zambian coaching crew was abject. This Super Falcons can be beat and Botswana and Algeria coaches know how to frustrate Nigeria.
In defence, Zambia were embarrassingly porous, particularly in set pieces. A throw in routine almost led to a Nigeria coach in the 1st half.
Nigeria pressed hard and pressed high. Where was Zambia’s counter-press? Why was Nnadozie not closed down before her assist for Ihezuo’s goals?
Zambia, coached by a foreigner, played like a locally coached Nigeria side. Even up front, the Bandas of this world just wanted to bulldoze their way past Nigerian defence with physicality, the kind of approach Ladan Bosso, Eguavoen and other Nigerian coaches know how well to defend against.
As a lover of the African game, I was gravely disappointed with Zambia’s cluelessness in front and at the back.
Madugu should go away and drink at this emphatic victory because I doubt he will ever have it this good.
To play this Nigeria, perhaps play a low block, modulate the tempo of the game and create pockets of space to exploit. Don’t play them with “physical football”, that is straight forward because you will LOSE! Stretch the pitch, exploit their high line (did you see how far in field Nnadozie had to run to intercept the ball).
In short, Zambia were “hoisted by their own petard” of arrogance. They believed the hype, they thought they could match the Super Falcons in our own game. They thought wrong and they were thought a lesson.
Well done mr. Too know.
Pocket your analysis for now and rejoice with the team.
I know that you will still complain when Super Falcons win the cup.
Yeye Mr Godsate, Shut up, you idiot. I wasn’t complaining, and I wasn’t speaking to you. Why don’t you mind your freaking business? Fool.
No one has praised this team and coach more than me on this platform. I was merely highlighting the shortcomings of Zambia on the night.
If you have nothing meaningful to contribute, just crawl back into the cave whence you came. Useless troglodyte.
I see your point @deo and absolutely agree. Plumptre echoed exact same sentiment in her post-match interview.
Teams who feel they’re at our level or even better like the arrogant South Africans, the overconfident Zambia’s, and the tricky Moroccans are likely to come at us, leaving the Falcons pockets of space to explore and whoop them.
Whereas teams that have some fear and respect for us will likely play a low-block, pack-the-bus formation and frustrate our attacking forays.
Like you rightly pointed out, the team’s performance should equally be viewed from the prisms of tactics adopted by the opponents – rather than in isolation.
That said, I also noticed the Super Falcons were clinical and precise with their shots. Not sure they had any shots not on target yesterday, which was a major drawback in previous matches.
Well done to the team. And yes, you’ve been notably quietly optimistic and reserved with your criticism of the team.
At this time, I just dey give NFF bombastic side eye.
Let me see how they wan take pocket the match bonuses of these ladies.
Surely the coach and the players will be rewarded for their hard work? Even if baboon wan chop, at least make monkey see something reasonable chop too.
NFF ONIGBESE, we are watching!