Nigeria’s Super Falcons have booked their place at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a 1-1 draw with Benin Republic in the second leg of their qualifiers at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Abeokuta, on Sunday.
The result sees the defending champions progress with a 3-1 aggregate victory, having won the first leg 2-0 in Lome last week.
The Falcons started brightly and took the lead in the 12th minute through Ashleigh Plumptre, who headed home Esther Okoronkwo’s well-placed corner, sending the home fans into loud celebration.
With the early goal, Nigeria looked set for a comfortable evening, dominating possession and dictating the tempo, but the Beninese side remained disciplined in defence to keep the scoreline at 1-0 until halftime.
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After the restart, the Super Falcons continued to control proceedings but struggled to create big chances. Against the run of play, Benin found an equaliser through Yasminath Djibril, whose well-taken freekick beat Chiamaka Nnadozie to level the scores.
Justin Madugu’s side pushed hard to regain the lead but they were denied by a combination of missed chances and resilient defending from the visitors. Nnadozie was also called into action, but she produced fine saves to prevent a shock defeat.
At full-time, the draw was enough to seal Nigeria’s qualification for next year’s continental showpiece in Morocco, where they will aim to defend their title and extend their record as the most successful team in WAFCON history.
For Benin Republic, the spirited performance in Abeokuta will serve as a confidence boost and valuable experience as they continue to develop and compete on the continental stage.
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