Rasheedat Ajibade of Atletico Madrid stole the show on Tuesday as the Super Falcons defeated Ethiopia’s Lucy 4-0 in a Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier.
Nigeria won the match 5-1 on aggregate after the first leg ended 1-1 in Addis Abeba.
While Nigeria dominated proceedings from the start, the girls did not score until nearly the conclusion of the first half. In the 45th minute, Uchenna Kanu broke the deadlock. She received a long pass from Tosin Demehin and finished a brilliant counterattack for the home team.
Nigeria doubled their lead five minutes after the second half resumed. Asisat Oshoala of FC Barcelona Femeni sent an appealing cross into the Ethiopian box. Ajibade pounced, knocking in from close range to put the Super Falcons ahead 2:0.
🏴FULL TIME! in Abuja 📍
🇳🇬 Nigeria 4-0 Ethiopia 🇪🇹
We are through to the next round of the #OlympicQualifiers. We await second round winners between Cameroon and Uganda.
Thanks for your support 🙏🤍🤗#SoarSuperFalcons | #NGAETH| #Paris2024 | #OlympicsQualifiers pic.twitter.com/lPoWYdvCHX
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) October 31, 2023
Oshoala nodded home from a Kanu cross after 68 minutes, sending the Moshood Abiola Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
Four minutes later, Oshoala switched roles, rushing onto the right edge of the Ethiopian box and setting up Ajibade for her second goal of the evening and Nigeria’s fourth of the game. The Atletico lady also scored in the 1-1 first-leg tie.
Michelle Alozie, a fan favorite, came inches short from making the score five in the 85th minute.
Following their victory on Tuesday, the Super Falcons will face the winner of the game between Uganda and Cameroon in the second and third round of qualifiers.
