Olympic Qualifiers: Algeria 0-2 Nigeria: Super Falcons claim first leg advantage
The Nigerian women's team started their bid to return to the Olympic Games on a winning note, defeating Algeria 2-0 in the second round, first leg on Wednesday.
Amarachi Okoronkwo's second-half stunner along with Isma Ouadah's first-half own goal saw the Super Falcons claim the first-leg advantage at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker.
Thomas Dennerby's team, who drew a bye in the first round, will need to build on their first-leg lead in the reverse fixture next Tuesday to advance to the third round of the qualifiers.
On the other hand, the North Africans were aiming to upset the African champions with the invitation of at least seven foreign-based players for the encounter.
The goal-hungry Dennerby ladies started brightly but could not find a breakthrough until the 15th minute when Ouadah mistakenly turned the ball into her net off a cross from Alice Ogebe.
After the restart, Nigeria came close on several occasions and were rewarded with the second goal through a fine long-range effort from Okoronkwo in the 54th minute to claim the win in Bilda.
The result means the Nigerians only require, at worst a draw, in their second leg in Lagos to fancy their chances of meeting either Mali or Cote d'Ivoire in the third round of the qualifiers.
FT in Bilda: Algeria 0-2 Nigeria - Falcons began their bid to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, with a second round, first leg win on the home soil of the North Africans.
— NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) August 28, 2019
Second leg will be held on September 3 at Agege Stadium.
#Olympics2020Q #ALGNGA