Nigeria’s Super Falcons sealed their spot in the last four of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a dominant 5-0 win over Zambia’s Copper Queens in an interesting quarterfinal matchup on Friday, June 19.

An end-to-end battle was largely expected at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, considering both sides scaled through the group stage unbeaten, with distinctive markers: the Super Falcons’ defensive solidity that had seen them yet to concede a goal in the competition, and the Copper Queens’ attacking cohesiveness, anchored by Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.

 Nigeria’s coach Justin Madugu named a daring XI that upended his team’s setup in his previous three matches, as Iljamilusi Folashade was handed her first start in the competition, while the duo of Esther Okoronkwo and Chiwendu Ihezuo earned deserved starts to complement the attack.

Magudu’s gamble paid off barely three minutes into the encounter, as Osinachi Ohale headed home to bury Esther’s cross from a free kick. About thirty minutes later, an exciting Esther doubled Nigeria’s lead from close range after the Copper Queens again failed to deal with an aerial threat.

With the Super Falcons fully in control, they added a third before the break through Ihezuo, who, after calmly receiving a long ball, stood against pressure to beat the Zambian goalkeeper and send Nigeria into halftime with a commanding lead.

The one-sided affair in Casablanca continued in the second half, with the Super Falcons getting their fourth from a similar weakness that had plagued Zambia. In the 68th minute, from an Esther cross, this time it was Demehin Oluwatosin who headed in to put all hopes of a comeback out of Zambia’s reach. A series of substitutions that followed slowed Nigeria’s momentum, but the nine-time WAFCON champions got a fifth through Iljamilusi, whose first goal for Nigeria wrapped up the rout. 

The win ensures Nigeria strolls into the semifinals of the WAFCON 2024, just as they have done in every edition of the tournament, while Zambia’s rising force is reminded of the levels yet to attain.

Before today, both sides had met three times, with the Super Falcons holding a greater share of the spoils. The record African champions had recorded 6-0 and 4-0 victories in the group stages of the 2014 and 2018 editions, respectively, while Zambia claimed a 1-0 win that denied Nigeria a podium finish for the first time in the competition’s history in 2020.

Nigeria will play the winner of Saturday’s quarterfinal clash between defending champions South Africa and Senegal in the semifinal.