Nigeria’s Super Falcons were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in their final group stage match at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, ending the round on a frustrating note despite already securing qualification to the knockout stage.
Randy Waldrum’s side started brightly and took an early lead through Uchenna Kanu in the 17th minute, after a well-worked move carved open the Algerian defense. The Falcons dominated possession for large stretches but failed to convert multiple clear-cut chances that could have sealed the game.
Algeria capitalized on Nigeria’s wastefulness, striking back in the 73rd minute through forward Nassima Bouhenni, whose curling effort from outside the box caught goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie off guard.
Despite pushing for a winner in the closing stages, the Falcons couldn’t find a breakthrough, much to the frustration of fans and coaching staff. The draw sees Nigeria finish second in their group behind South Africa, setting up a potentially tougher path in the knockout rounds.
“We lost focus at key moments,” Waldrum admitted post-match. “We need to be more clinical and composed going forward.”
The Super Falcons now shift focus to the quarterfinals, where they’ll face Group C winners Morocco in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter.
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