Team captain Rasheedat Ajibade’s second half strike earned Nigeria’s Super Falcons a 1-1 draw away to Ethiopia in their Paris Olympics qualifiers first leg second round tie on Wednesday.
The Super Falcons went behind as early as the sixth minute of the game decided at the Abebe Bikila Stadium, Addis Ababa, when forward Uchenna Kanu inadvertently diverted the ball into her own net after the team failed to properly defend a corner kick.
The goal came shortly after the offside flag rescued high profile forward Asisat Oshoala from what could have been a Miss of the Decade after she knocked a rebound over from five yards.
After the concession of the opener, Nigeria took control of the game’s possession but could largely not harm their hosts in the long run though Oshoala should have done better with an opportunity from Payne’s cross halfway into the period.
Atlético Madrid star Ajibade would then draw the Falcons level seven minutes after the break when her ferocious volley from 20 yards nestled into the net.
After Ajibade restored parity, the Falcons took full control, and substitute Ifeoma Onumonu should have put Nigeria in the lead in the 64th minute, only to be denied as she cocked the trigger.
Payne and Onumonu then combined to create a gilt-edged opportunity in the 79th minute, but Oshoala narrowly missed the kick on her weaker foot.
The Falcons, coached in Wednesday’s game by Justin Madugu thought they had won it when Onumonu towered above all to head into the net on the dot of time. However, Algerian referee Lamia Atman ruled it out for offside positional play against debuting Falcon Opeyemi Ajakaye.
Both teams will clash again at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday, with the winner on aggregate to proceed to the third round, where the winner of the Cameroon/Uganda fixture awaits.
Super Falcons lineup vs Ethiopia:
Nnadozie; Nicole Payne (Rofiat Imuran 60′), Akudo Ogbonna, T. Demehin, Michelle Alozie; Peace Efih, Toni Payne, Ajibade; Gift Monday (Ifeoma Onumonu 60′), U. Kanu (Rinsola Babajide 71′), Oshoala (Opeyemi Ajakaye 81′)
