The Super Falcons on Monday defeated The Gambia 6-0 in the second leg of their Ghana 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations final qualifier at the Agege Stadium to qualify for the tournament 7-0 on aggregate.
The tournament holds from November 17 to December 1. Nigeria thus joined Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Mali and Algeria at the eight-team tournament.
The top three finishers will qualify for the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
Desire Oparanozie scored four goals while current Africa Women’s Footballer of The Year Asisat Oshoala added two as the Falcons ran over their West African neighbours.
Coach Thomas Dennerby’s largely foreign-based side dominated play and gave the visitors little chance for an upset.
From the first blast of the whistle, Oshoala and Oparanozie piled pressure on the Gambian defence and they got rewarded when Francisca Ordega was brought down in the box as early as the second minute.
En Avant Guingamp forward Oparanozie converted the spot kick. Oshoala proved to be Nigeria’s main threat as she tucked the ball into the net in the 10th minute but saw her effort chalked off for offside.
In the 30th minute, first leg match winner Amarachi Okoronkwo fired a thunderous strike which hit the woodwork. However, Oshoala could not be denied as she scored from a team effort.
Four minutes into the second half, Oparanozie got her brace as she scored after Oshoala’s pass found her unmarked. The former Wolfsburg striker got her hat-trick from an Ngozi Okobi pass.
Oshoala grabbed her brace in the 74th minute after she breezed past the Gambian defenders before slotting past the keeper. Oparanozie completed the rout as she shot from left flank to score her fourth goal of the game.
