By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Super Falcons’ Ijeoma Esther Okoronkwo’s 87th minute goal helped Nigeria to a 1-0 win over Cote d’Ivoire and finally knocked the Lady Elephants out of this year’s Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) billed for Morocco in July.
The victory at Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on Wednesday in the return leg of the final round qualifier tie ensured that Nigeria qualified on 3-0 goals aggregate after a 2-0 defeat of Cote d’Ivoire at Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja last Friday.
The cagey match was almost heading to a barren draw before Okoronkwo who plays as a forward for Saint-Étienne FC in France delivered what could pass for a sucker punch in a boxing bout three minutes to full time.
Her goal which added to the lost penalty kick by the Lady Elephants earlier in the match summed up a miserable campaign by the Lady Elephants who fought very hard to upturn their defeat in Nigeria.
It was a match Super Falcons Head Coach Randy Waldrum had to dig deep to come up with the winning tactics which was to contain the Lady Elephants and hit them on the break.
He adjusted the startlist by bringing in defender Regina Otu to replace Nicole Payne and and Francisca Ordega in the attack to replace midfielder Amanda Mbadinuju just nine others retained the positions they played in the first leg in Abuja.
Perhaps, the highlight of the match was when reliable goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie shot-out Lady Elephants’ penalty kick which could have rekindled the hope of a fight-back by the Ivorians.
But the 87th minute goal by Okoronkwo rendered hopeless any chance of Cote d’Ivoire to qualify for the 2022 AWCON final in Morocco and will have to try again in another two years.
