Olympic qualifiers: Ajibade injury blow clouds Falcons five-star win

File: Super Falcons captain, Rasheedat Ajibade

Nigeria’s Super Falcons turned on the style at the Remo Stars Stadium on Tuesday evening, routing Comoros 5-0 in the second leg to complete a comprehensive 7-0 aggregate victory and advance to the third round of the CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying series.

Carrying a comfortable 2-0 advantage from the first leg, the 10-time African champions completely dismantled the island nation’s defence in a lopsided encounter.

Toni Payne and Uchenna Kanu delivered masterclasses in the final third, bagging a brace each to tear the Comorian backline apart. Midfield powerhouse Christy Ucheibe added gloss to the dominant performance by converting clinically from the penalty spot.

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However, the victory was  marred by a worrying injury blow for captain Rasheedat Ajibade. The talismanic midfielder went down mid-game and had to be forced off, giving the technical crew a major scare ahead of tougher fixtures.

Her premature exit saw Folashade Ijamilusi called upon from the bench. Ijamilusi wasted no time making an impact alongside fellow substitute Blessing Okpe, injecting devastating energy and creativity into the attack to help close out the rout.

The comprehensive win safely seals Nigeria’s passage into the next phase, setting up a blockbuster third-round qualifying showdown against Morocco as the Super Falcons march closer to the 2028 Olympic Games.

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