Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Super Falcons signaled their readiness to battle for the delayed 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title last night following their commanding performance against rivals Ghana’s Black Queens in their last warm up game in Morocco.

Chinwendu Ihezuo, Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade fired Falcons into 3-0 lead within 50 minutes of the game before Black Queens managed to pull back one through Alice Kusi with two minutes to end of the game.

The 3-1 victory was a follow up to the goalless draw with Portugal in Lisbon last week and a warning to the rest of Africa of Nigeria’s quest to reclaim the leadership of women’s football in the continent.

For the Ghanaians who  before yesterday began their rebuilding process with back-to-back wins over Malawi (3-1) and Benin Republic (4-2), they thought another win was possible against the Super Falcons.

However, the opening half-hour saw both sides trade possession in an evenly contested affair but it was the Nigerian ladies who eventually took control, with forward Ihezuo breaking the deadlock in the 34th minute — her second goal for the national team.

Just before half-time, Oshoala doubled Nigeria’s lead from the penalty spot, calmly converting after a foul inside the box. The goal marked a personal milestone for the former Barcelona ladies striker, her first for Nigeria since October 2023 and her first for club or country in 2025.

Within five minutes of the restart,  Ajibade extended the lead to 3-0 with a confident finish — her third goal in just two appearances, having netted a brace against Cameroon earlier this month.

Despite the late Kusi’s late goal for the Black Queens, the Super Falcons saw out the win comfortably, a morale-boosting result as they turn their focus to their delayed WAFCON 2024 opener against North African heavyweights Tunisia on July 6, 2025.