By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Nigeria’s Super Falcons reserved it till late before netting a lonely goal that broke the back of stubborn Botswana, and handed them the three vital points at stake.
The victory gave the Nigerians the quarter final ticket with six points from two games.
Nigeria had won the first game at the championship by beating Tunisia by three unreplied goals.
Tonight’ s win was Nigeria’ s 30th group game victory at WAFCON.
Nigeria dominated play from the start and made to draw the first blood before the first half of the stanza but , just as in the rest of the first half, they met a resilient defensive formation in the stubborn Botswana.
The first half ended barren.
In the second half, Botswana came back and tried to size up and psyche out the Nigerians , especially after play maker, Assisat Oshoala, was replaced .
Nigeria regained control of the game in the last quarter hour of play by piling intense pressure on the back four of Botswana.
Yet, the Southern Africans stood stoic and resilient, with the petit goalkeeper the key motivator, especially in the 81st, 87 th and 89 th minute, before two -goal heroine, Chinwe Ihezuo, broke through in the last minute of play.
Ihezuo, a substitute in the first and second matches, scored a vital goal against Tunisia, just as she did tonight.
Nigeria , by tonight’s victory, became the first team to move past the group stages of the tournament.
Algeria, which sits next to Nigeria on the points table, with a win and a draw, has four points and play Nigeria in the next tie.
