By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No.1 Women’s Football Journalist
I Have Done It Girls…Two goals heroine Uchenna Kanu (Middle) celebrating one of her goals with Glory Ogbonna (L) and Toni Payne (R) on Wednesday at Mobolaji Johnson Arena Onikan.
Linkopings FC of Sweden’s striker,Uchenna Kanu singlehandedly destroyed Ghana Black Queens with two quick goals in the space of five minutes of the first half to help Nigeria’s Super Falcons beat their bitter rivals 2-0 in the first leg of the African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) Morocco 2022 qualifiers on Wednesday at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.
After a cagey opening minutes in the match that did not record many spectators, Kanu stepped out to be counted as she scored the opening goal of the match in the 20th minute to put Nigeria ahead to the admiration of the few fans who made it to the Stadium. The Swedish bomber was to double Nigeria’s lead five minutes later when completed her brace in the 25th minute of the game.
With this result, the nine-time African Champions now have a huge advantage ahead of the return leg of the double-header slated for Accra Township Stadium this weekend in Ghana, although the Ghanaians will not want to go down without a fight especially in the presence of their teeming fans.
Super Falcons lineup
But the Super Falcons were primed to get a decent result in Lagos hence Head Coach, Randy Waldrum started a strong squad of fit players with Nigeria’s No.1 goalie, Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal alongside veteran defence marshals, Osinachi Ohale and Onome Ebi, pairing youngsters Glory Ogbonna, Sunday and Regina Otu in the defence while returnees, Rasheedat Ajibade and Toni Payne anchored the midfield.
Usual suspects, Asisat Oshoala and Francesca Ordega played from the flanks while Kanu who one of the leading goalscorers in the Sweden top women’s league led the attack, a tactical masterstroke engineered by the United States-born gaffer, Waldrum.
Also, Black Queens Coach Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo had expected a better result in Lagos just like in the Lagos Invitational Tourney when Ghana beat hapless Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon at same Onikan by starting a team comprising of goalkeeper Fafa Dumehasi; defenders, Gladys Amfobea, Ellen Coleman, Janet Egyir and Portia Boakyee with midfielders Nina Norshie, Elizabeth Owusuaa and Grace Asantewaa just as Vivian Konadu Adjei, Princella Adubea and Grace Anima were the forwarders.
However, the two goals scored in the first half ensured that the Ghanaians returned to Accra empty handed even as the winner of the double-header will be in pole position to start dreaming of playing in the expanded AWCON in 2022 in Morocco although there will be one more river to cross should the earlier draws done by CAF stand as the winner of Nigeria versus Ghana over two legs will face winner of the fixture between Niger and Ivory Coast (Cote d Ivoire).
South African players dancing away after humiliating Mozambique 7-0 on Wednesday.
In other matches played across Africa today, Kenya was in devastating mood as the Harambee Starlets thrashed South Sudan 8-0 in the first leg while Coach Desiree Ellis and her Banyana Banyana of South Africa humiliated Mozambique 7-0 away from home. Struggling Indomitable Lionesses had to rely on a goal from Ajara Nchout to edge Central Africa Republic 1-0.
**AWCON Morocco 2022 First Leg Qualifiers Results**
🇰🇪 Kenya 8-0 South Sudan 🇸🇸
🇺🇬 Uganda 2-0 Ethiopia 🇪🇹
🇲🇼 Malawi 1-1 Zambia 🇿🇲
🇹🇿 Tanzania 1-2 Namibia 🇳🇦
🇲🇿 Mozambique 0-7 South Africa 🇿🇦
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 3-1 Eswatini 🇸🇿
🇨🇫 CAR 0-1 Cameroon 🇨🇲
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