Cape Verde vs Nigeria: Super Falcons land in Praia ahead of WAFCON qualifier

The former African champions have one leg firmly planted in Morocco for the continental championships next year

The Nigerian delegation of players, coaches, and officials have landed in Praia ahead of the second leg of their CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Cape Verde, Soccernet.ng reports. 

The Super Falcons strolled to a 5-0 victory in the first leg, the biggest defeat in Cape Verde women’s football history.

A brace each from Uchenna Kanu and Esther Okoronkwo added to Gift Monday’s fine strike, handed the former WAFCON winners a massive advantage in Abuja.

🛬We safely landed in Praia, Cape Verde 🇨🇻 this evening, ahead of our second leg tie on December 5.#SoarSuperFalcons| #CAPNGA| #WAFCONQualifiers| #Morocco2024 pic.twitter.com/WxryApaxEV

— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) December 3, 2023

The return leg is scheduled for the 15,000-capacity, artificial-turfed Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia on Tuesday, December 5.

Ranked 40th in the world and the best on the continent, Nigeria would be favourites to claim another win against the Cape Verdeans who are ranked 134th on the global scale.

Cape Verde will need to win by six goals to overtake Nigeria and grab the ticket to the WAFCON.

The Super Falcons have never lost by a three-goal margin to any African opposition in all competitions in their history.

Nigeria have never missed any edition of the WAFCON and have been crowned champions of the competition nine of the 12 times it has been held.

The Super Falcons were crowned African queens in 2018 but only finished fourth at the 2022 edition in Morocco, losing their title to South Africa.

Morocco will again host the 2024 WAFCON, and it would be the perfect place for Nigeria to reclaim their lost honour.