By Gracious Akujobi Nigeria’s Super Falcons have qualified for the final of the African Women Championship (AWC) holding in Namibia later in the year.
They walloped the visiting Rwanda with a resounding 8-0 crushing of Rwanda in Kaduna to qualify on 12-1 aggregate.
With a 4-1 advantage from the first leg, Falcons made a feast of the She-Amavubi with Oparanozie Desire scoring a hat trick.
It was 5-0 at interval with Blessing Edoho, Asisat Oshoala and Esther Sunday registering their names on the score sheet.
Wing back Blessing Edoho opened the flood gate of goals as early as the 11th minute with Asisat Oshoala making it two in the 18th minute before Oparanozie took over the show with two goals in the 20th and 30th minutes.
Esther Sunday who had tormented the visitors all day from the left flank made it five in the 40th minute with a beautiful goal off a through pass from skipper Evelyn Nwabuoku.
The second half was just seven minutes old when Oparanozie bagged her hat trick scoring goal number six. Oshoala would score the best goal of the day when she dribbled almost the whole defence to make it seven.
Nku cecilia completed the routing by scoring the goal number eight. The visitors attempt to score a consolation goal was checked by the Falcons defence ably marshalled by Josephine Chukwunonye.
With this victory the eight times African champions have qualified for the AWC billed for Namibia in October.
A delighted coach Edwin Okon said “I am happy we won with this wide margin but we are going back to prepare for the serious task ahead
“The programme for the AWC proper will soon be reeled out and by the grace of God the trophy is what we are gunning for in Namibia” he stated.
Hatrick heroine Desire Oparanozie who earlier stated before the match that she will score three goals said it was “prophecy fulfilled” adding that Nigerians should expect more goals at the AWC.