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•Qualify for Paris 2024 Olympics
By Rasaq Oboirien
Super Falcons broke the Olympic jinx since 2008 with a 1-0 aggregate victory over rival South Africa, securing qualification to the Women’s football event of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 9-time African Queens, who won the 1st leg via a Rasheedat Ajibade strike from the penalty spot at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja last Friday, after Banyana Banyana defender Noko Matlou was judged by Algerian referee Mehat Ghada to have committed a foul inside the area in the 40th minute, thus leaving all to play for in the final leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Despite the home advantage for Banyana Banyana, they did not seriously threaten goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie as twin strikers, Thembi Kgatlana and Jermaine Seoposenwe, did not get enough supply, let alone go past the Super Falcons defence wall.
Most of Super Falcons attacks came from Jennifer Echegini and Chimendou Ihezuo who benefited from passes from Halimatu Ayinde, Rasheedat Ajibade and Grace Kanu in the midfield.
The Super Falcons missed a glorious opportunity to open the scoring in the 40th minute when Kanu could not properly connect a floating ball that was delivered from the right wing.
Nigeria will join Brazil, Japan and world champions Spain in Group C as the Olympics will take place in July and August in Paris, capital of France.
