Nigeria’s Super Falcons will be aiming to book an early ticket to the knockout stage of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) when they face Botswana in their second Group B fixture on Thursday evening.
The match is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. (Nigeria time) at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.
Both sides head into the clash with contrasting outcomes from their opening matches. The Super Falcons began their campaign in style with a dominant 3-0 win over Tunisia, while Botswana suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Algeria.
This will be the second time Nigeria and Botswana are meeting at WAFCON. Their first encounter came at the 2022 edition, also in the group stage, where Nigeria secured a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Ifeoma Onumonu and Christy Ucheibe.
In that 2022 fixture, Botswana struggled for possession, managing just 26.3% — their lowest in any WAFCON match to date. Despite the loss, they advanced as one of the best third-placed teams, while Nigeria finished second in the group behind South Africa.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has warned that Botswana will come out fighting, determined to bounce back after their loss to Algeria.
“It won’t be an easy game, particularly as Botswana lost their first match,” Nnadozie said. “They’ll be desperate, and it will feel like a cup final. But we’re confident and focused on getting the win.”
A victory for Nigeria would confirm their place in the quarterfinals of the tournament, as the team continues its quest for a record-extending 12th WAFCON title.
