Chijioke Gabriel
Rasheedat Ajibade scored a brace as Nigeria reigned supreme over the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroonians on a wet Tuesday evening at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta.
The tie had earlier been scheduled to be a double-header, with both teams playing each other twice — on May 31 and June 3.
However, the late arrival of the Cameroonian meant that the first leg of the encounter, which was billed to be held at Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne, was scrapped.
The second leg also had a bit of a hiccup, and the kickoff was adjusted from afternoon to early evening.
When the game began, the sky began to pour, and the Super Falcons showed little sign of discomfort with the weather.
In the 26th minute, Ajibade drove into the Cameroonian goal area and was brought down. The referee pointed to the spot. The victim of the foul stepped up and coolly slotted the spotkick home to put Nigeria ahead.
The winger doubled the lead a few minutes before half-time after running into the box once again to tap home a cross from Babajide Omorinsola.
The exhibition match is Nigeria’s preparation for the forthcoming Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Super Falcons, nine-time WAFCON champions, are making a 13th consecutive appearance at the tournament.
They are pitted against Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana in Group C of the tournament set to be held in Morocco between July 5 and 26.
