Nigeria kicked off their quest for a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title with a confident 3-0 victory over Tunisia in Casablanca.
Former Barcelona forward Asisat Oshoala opened the scoring for the Super Falcons in the fourth minute when the 30-year-old pounced on a low inswinging free-kick delivered by Rinsola Babajide from the left flank and bundled the ball home amid a scramble in the Tunisian box.
Babajide, who previously featured for England at youth level before switching allegiance to Nigeria in 2023, doubled the lead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.
The winger fired clinically past Tunisia goalkeeper Soulaima Jobrani, marking her first ever goal at a senior international tournament.
Chinwendu Ihezuo got Nigeria’s third at the Stade Larbi Zaouli with six minutes remaining after converting a cross from Ashleigh Plumptre.
The win puts Nigeria top of Group B on goal difference ahead of Algeria, who beat Botswana 1-0 thanks to Ghoutia Karchouni’s 10th-minute effort.
Senegal produced a first-half demolition of DR Congo to register a comfortable 4-0 win and move top of Group A.
Forwards Mama Diop and Ngeunar Ndiaye both scored two goals before half-time as the powerful Lionesses of Teranga frontline ripped into a fragile and disorganised rearguard.
The first three goals, all netted inside the opening 22 minutes, all came from simple long balls in behind the DR Congo defence.
The West Africans cruised through a goalless second half in which their opponents were marginally more competitive, with both sides hitting the woodwork.
—BBC