LA 2028 Olympics: Super Falcons Set for Morocco Showdown After Comoros Win as Africa Chases Two Tickets
Nigeria take a two-goal advantage into the return leg against Comoros, while Kenya, Algeria, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire record commanding victories in the race for Africa’s two places at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons have moved closer to the third round of the African qualifying series for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games following a 2-0 victory over Comoros in the first leg of their second-round encounter in Ikenne-Remo on Friday.
Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu scored in the second half to give Nigeria a valuable advantage ahead of the return fixture scheduled for Tuesday, October 13.
The result puts the 10-time African champions in a strong position to progress to the next stage, where they could face Morocco, who have already advanced following Congo’s withdrawal from the competition.
Under interim coach Augustine Eguavoen, Nigeria dominated much of the contest but had to wait until three minutes after the restart to break the deadlock.
Gift Monday delivered the ball into the danger area for Alozie to finish in the 48th minute, before Kanu doubled the advantage on the hour mark with a header from Jennifer Echegini’s corner.
Nigeria must now complete the job against Comoros to keep their Olympic qualification campaign on track.
Kenya, Algeria Record Biggest Victories
Elsewhere, Kenya produced the most emphatic result of the second round, defeating Seychelles 11-0 to establish a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg.
Algeria also recorded a resounding victory, overwhelming the Central African Republic 8-0, while South Africa defeated Madagascar 4-0 to strengthen their prospects of advancing.
Côte d’Ivoire secured an impressive 4-1 away victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Grâce Ruth Sery scoring twice.
Ghana also took a significant step towards the next round with a 3-0 away win against Mauritius.
Malawi defeated Zimbabwe 2-0, while Burkina Faso beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1. Benin also claimed a two-goal advantage after overcoming Mali 3-1.
Tight Contests Leave Qualification Open
Several other ties remain closely contested following the first-leg fixtures.
Uganda edged Zambia 2-1, while Tanzania secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Botswana. Senegal also claimed a 1-0 away win against Tunisia, and Ethiopia defeated Rwanda by the same scoreline.
Angola and Namibia played out a goalless draw, leaving their tie evenly balanced ahead of the return fixture.
The second legs will determine which teams progress to the third round, where the competition is expected to intensify as the remaining nations pursue Africa’s two Olympic qualification places.
Morocco Await Super Falcons
Morocco and Cameroon have already secured third-round places following the withdrawals of Congo and Guinea, respectively.
For Nigeria, the immediate priority is to protect their advantage against Comoros before turning attention to a potential meeting with Morocco in February 2027.
The Super Falcons are seeking a return to the Olympic women’s football tournament after missing the Paris 2024 Games. Their progress in the current qualifying campaign will be crucial to their ambitions of returning to the global stage in Los Angeles.
The African qualifying series features five knockout rounds, with the continent’s two representatives for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games to be determined at the end of the competition.
With the second-round return fixtures approaching, Nigeria will be focused on completing the Comoros assignment and maintaining their pursuit of an Olympic ticket.
Second-round first-leg results
- Seychelles 0-11 Kenya
- Mauritius 0-3 Ghana
- Benin 3-1 Mali
- Uganda 2-1 Zambia
- Tunisia 0-1 Senegal
- Burkina Faso 3-1 Equatorial Guinea
- Rwanda 0-1 Ethiopia
- DR Congo 1-4 Côte d’Ivoire
- Comoros 0-2 Nigeria
- Malawi 2-0 Zimbabwe
- Angola 0-0 Namibia
- Madagascar 0-4 South Africa
- Central African Republic 0-8 Algeria
- Botswana 0-1 Tanzani
