Nigeria’s Super Falcons have ended a 16-year absence from the Olympics after their total goals tally over Banyana Banyana saw them through on aggregate of 1-0, following a 0-0 draw in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The victory of the Nigerian girls books them a place at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris after a hard-fought aggregate win over South Africa.
The win over South Africa gave Nigeria passage to the Olympic Games for the first time since 2008, ending a 16-year wait for participation in the competition.
The Super Falcons brought a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the tie.
They had won the first leg in Abeokuta, Ogun State, thanks to a solitary goal from Rasheedat Ajibade in the first-half of the home tie.
The first half in Pretoria was expectedly a cagey affair as both teams cancelled each other out and the second half played to a similar pattern as the Super Falcons held on for a crucial 0-0 draw against the hosts.
The Super Falcons had their best chance of the match in the second half, but Uchenna Kanu’s effort went begging as the tie remained goalless.
Despite being the home side, South Africa’s attack was expertly marshalled by Nigeria, and the Banyana Banyana failed to create any real openings of note to threaten the Super Falcons.
