Reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, recovered from a slow start to score a hat-trick against Equatorial Guinea for the Super Falcons.
The ex-Liverpool striker provided half of the goals as the Nigerians booked their place in the semifinals of the 2018 CAF Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) with an emphatic 6-0 at the Cape Coast Stadium.
The goals account was opened by Atletico Madrid’s Francesca Ordega ten minutes into the game with a sweet finish as she side-footed the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Emilia.
Soon after the first came the second goal for Nigeria, Oshoala the scorer who finished a great cross from Desire Oparanozie in the 13th minute.
Oshoala made it three from the near post in the 30th minute moments after missing from close range for Nigeria’s third goal.
The pacy forward then grabbed her hat-trick from a close-range header after the ball rebounded off the crossbar in the 34th minute. Again, Oparanozie was the architect of the goal.
The rout continued in the second half as Oparanozie put her name in the scorers’ chart in the 48th minute as she finished off an intricate passing move rounded off by Francesca Ordega.
Captain Rita Chikwelu made it 6-0 with 27 minutes to go as substitute Amarachi Okoronkwo lobbed the ball inside the Guineans box.
Chikwelu outfoxed the keeper to slot home the ball albeit amid some calls for a foul committed by the skipper.
The Falcons will confront Group A leaders Cameroon semifinals clash on Tuesday with not just a place in the final to fight for but a ticket to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
