Nigeria Beat Zambia To Keep WAFCON Hope Alive

Nigeria kept their WAFCON campaign alive on Saturday night with a hard fought 1 nil win over Zambia in Rabat. The Super Falcons played most of the match with 10 women, yet they still held on for a vital victory that revived their quarter final hopes.

Asisat Oshoala scored the only goal in the eighth minute at Al Madina Stadium. Her early strike gave Nigeria the lift they needed after a poor opening loss to Malawi, and it changed the mood inside the team almost immediately.

Nigeria had entered the match under pressure. Malawi’s 3 1 win over Egypt earlier in the day had made the Group C picture even tighter, so the Super Falcons needed points to stay in the race.

The game became harder for Nigeria after a red card left them with 10 players for much of the contest. Even so, the defending champions stayed compact, defended with discipline and limited Zambia’s chances.

Zambia pressed after the break and tried to force an equaliser, but Nigeria kept their shape and protected the lead. The result earned three important points and gave the team fresh belief before their final group match.

Nigeria now sits on three points from two games, while Malawi leads Group C with six points. Zambia also has three points, and Egypt remains bottom without a point. That leaves the Super Falcons with work still to do, but their path to the knockout stage is back in their own hands.

The win also showed the resilience that has long defined Nigeria in continental football. Although the performance was not comfortable, the result mattered more than style on a night when the Super Falcons needed to respond under pressure.

Nigeria will face Egypt next, and that match could decide their place in the next round. For now, the defending champions have kept their title defence alive and turned a difficult start into a chance to recover.