Ihezuo Strikes Late As Nigeria Edge Botswana To Seal WAFCON Quarter-Final Spot

Substitute Chinwendu Ihezuo netted a dramatic 89th-minute winner to help Nigeria overcome a resilient Botswana side and secure a 1-0 victory in their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Group B encounter at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Thursday. The win guaranteed the Super Falcons a place in the quarter-finals.

Despite being record nine-time champions, Nigeria had to dig deep against a well-organised Botswana side, who were once again kept in the game by the brilliance of goalkeeper Sedilame Boseja. However, the Mares’ resistance was finally broken in the dying moments of the match.

Esther Okoronkwo delivered a precise low cross into the six-yard box, and Ihezuo was perfectly positioned at the back post to turn the ball home for her second goal of the tournament.

With the victory, Nigeria have now won four consecutive WAFCON group stage matches, scoring 10 goals and keeping four clean sheets in the process. Following their opening 3-0 triumph over Tunisia, this marks the first time since 1998 that Nigeria have not conceded in their first two matches of a WAFCON campaign.

Botswana, meanwhile, are still searching for their first-ever clean sheet at the finals. Thursday’s narrow loss extends their losing streak at the tournament to five matches, with each of their four defeats coming by a single-goal margin.

Despite the result, the Mares were tactically disciplined and defensively solid, although they struggled to create clear scoring opportunities of their own.

Nigeria left-back Ashleigh Plumptre was instrumental, regularly delivering dangerous balls into the box and offering consistent attacking threat. She came close early on, shooting wide under pressure, while Toni Payne fired over from close range after being set up by Asisat Oshoala.

Ihezuo, introduced at halftime as one of three substitutions, had an early headed chance from a Plumptre cross but sent her effort over the bar. Fellow substitute Jennifer Echegini also came close shortly after her introduction, narrowly missing the target with a well-struck shot.

Boseja once again stood out for Botswana, making a series of vital stops — including a brave save at Ihezuo’s feet and a spectacular fingertip save to deny Echegini’s curling effort heading for the top corner.

But Nigeria’s persistence paid off in the final moments, with Ihezuo’s decisive strike capturing all three points a hallmark of a team with championship pedigree.