Falcons cruise to comfortable first-leg win in WAFCON qualifier
The Super Falcons of Nigeria made a confident start to their final round of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers with a 2–0 win over Benin Republic’s Amazons on Friday evening at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé.
First-half goals from Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo gave the 10-time African champions a comfortable advantage ahead of Tuesday’s return leg in Nigeria.
Falcons assert dominance early
Coming just days after the Super Eagles’ resounding victory over Benin in the men’s World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria’s women continued the country’s dominance against their West African neighbours with a composed and controlled performance.
From the outset, the Super Falcons dictated play and pinned the Beninese team deep in their half.
Their early pressure paid off midway through the first half when Deborah Abiodun split the defence with a perfectly weighted through ball for Ihezuo, who finished neatly to open the scoring.
As the first half drew to a close, Nigeria doubled their lead. Esther Okoronkwo broke clear of her marker and calmly finished in a one-on-one situation to make it 2–0 before the break.
Midfield mastery and controlled finish
The Nigerian midfield trio of Abiodun, Tosin Demehin and Rasheedat Ajibade kept control of the game with disciplined positioning and swift passing transitions. Abiodun, in particular, was instrumental in both goals, combining defensive tenacity with creative vision.
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With the game firmly under control, head coach Justine Madugu introduced Shukurat Oladipo in the 86th minute for Abiodun, tightening up the defence as the team saw out the final moments without trouble.
The result puts Nigeria firmly in control of the tie ahead of the second leg in Abeokuta next Tuesday.
With a two-goal cushion and home advantage to come, the Super Falcons are well-placed to seal qualification for the 2026 WAFCON in Morocco, where they will defend the continental title they reclaimed earlier in the year.