TheCable

Super Falcons of Nigeria have booked a place in the All-Africa Games holding in Congo-Brazzaville in September after annihilating Mali 8-0 at the Abuja National Stadium.

A brace each from Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega, and Desire Oparanozie with Evelyn Nwabuoku and Esther Sunday scoring one apiece condemned the Malians to a 9-1 aggregate scoreline.

Mali got the game on the way but within three minutes, they were back in the centre circle to restart the game.

From a low cross from Oshoala, France-based Oparanozie put Nigeria ahead.

Soon it was 2-0 to the hosts as Ordega went past her marker and fired home into the top corner.

In the 22nd minute, Oshoala almost made it three but her effort was cleared to safety after leaving defender Oumou Tangara and goalkeeper Samake Goundo in her wake.

She was not to be denied in the 36th minute scoring with a simple tap-in after great work from Oparanozie.

With the end of the half approaching, Oshoala was this time the provider for Oparanozie to score her second goal – the team’s fourth – in the game.

In the first minute of the second half, Oshoala got her own brace after benefiting from the keeper’s error.

Mali threatened through Baradji’s long-range effort, but more misery was to come.

Oshoala set up Ordega for the 6th goal of the game in the 62nd minute,but the best of the strikes was saved for the 69th minute of the game.

Team’s captain Nwabuoku pounced on a corner kick which fell nicely to her path and wasted no time to fire a thunderous shot into the net.

Substitute Sunday scored the last goal from a goal mouth scramble in 71 minutes to send the Malians back home bruised, bashed, and battered.