LA 2028 Qualifiers: Nigeria overpowers stubborn Comoros 2-0 as Algeria wallop CAR 8 nil

Two second half goals scored by ace defender Michelle Alozie (47′) and fast-paced attacker Uchenna Kanu (59′) were all the Super Falcons needed to overpower stubborn Comoros 2 -0 on Friday at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Nigeria in the first leg of the double-header of the second round of the Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament African qualifiers.

It was Nigeria’s senior women’s football team’s first match after a disastrous 2026 WAFCON outing in Morocco last August and the Super Falcons approached the match with every sense of seriousness from the first blast of referee Henriette Byukusenge of Rwanda’s whistle.

Interim Head Coach Augustine Owen Eguavoen selected an experienced side with only youth international Joy Igbokwe of Nasarawa Amazons, the only home-based player in the lineup.

But the Comoros ladies from the small island nation located in East Africa turned out to be a very good side as they gave the Super Falcons a big run for their money by going toe to toe with the star-studded Nigerian side, ending the first half without conceding a goal.

The 10-time African champions had to dig deep in the second half to put two goals pass the impressive Comoros goalkeeper Aïcha Saïd who shone like million stars on the night just as both countries will go again next Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at same Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, because Comoros has no home CAF-approved international stadia to host Friday’s first leg tie.

Elsewhere, Algeria went goals-crazy hitting Central African Republic (CAR) 8-0 with seven Algerian players on the scoresheet while a CAR defender Irene Ndoumba conceding an own goal in 20′ of the match played at Algeria’s 5 July 1962 Stadium in Algiers on Friday under the watch of referee Seonyatseng Tshephe from Botswana.

Algeria’s seven other goals were scored by Marine Dafeur (26′); Lina Boussaha (29′); Aissah Bekhaled (36′); Nihed Naili (51′); Inès Belloumou (67′); Lynda Bendris (80′) and Nesrine Jamila Aicha Bahlouli (90′).

On Tuesday, Algeria will be at home to Central African Republic at the 5 July 1962 Stadium, Algiers in what should be a ceremony match for the North Africa.

Also, on Friday, Ivory Coast travelled to DR Congo to thrash the Congolese 4-1 away at TP Mazembe Stadium, Lubumbashi with referee Diana Murungi from Uganda incharge of proceedings.

Midfielder Grâce Ruth Sery converted a penalty in the 3′ to put the visitors ahead but DR Congo equalised through Marie Soulac  in 16′ and Sery struck again in 20′ to make it 2-1 in the first half while Valerie Gnaly in 49′ and Kadousa Fofana in 53′ to put the match to bed early.

The return leg will hold next Tuesday in Ivory Coast at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan.

Also, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies forward Ronnel Donnelly scored a hat-trick as South Africa’s Banyana Banyana white-washed

Madagascar 4 -0 in a match played at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa on Friday.

Donnelly scored in 26′, 37′, 61′ in the game played behind closed doors without fans while Madagascar’s Eva Solange conceded an own goal in the 78′.

South Africa versus Madagascar return leg is slated for same Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

In Lilongwe, the Scorchers of Malawi have continued in their fine form as Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga scored in the 33′ and 50′ to help Malawi beat  Zimbabwe 2-0 at Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe. The referee was Love Wehyee from Liberia.

The return leg will hold on Tuesday at National Sports Stadium, Harare.

In Gaborone, Nigerian-born referee Yemisi Akintoye was in the centre when Botswana lost 0–1 at home to visiting Tanzania at National Stadium, Gaborone with Opah Clement scoring in the 64′.

The return leg will be played on Tuesday October 13,  2026.

However, only the encounter between host Angola and Namibia ended without  a goal at 11 November Stadium, Talatona with referee Leticia Kenga from Central African Republic just as both will play the decider on Monday, October 12, 2026.