Tough Battle As CAF Confirms Morocco As Nigeria’s Next Opponent in LA 2028 Olympics Qualifiers
- Nigeria beat Comoros 5-0 in the second leg at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne to advance to the third round of the 2028 Olympics qualifiers
- Toni Payne scored a brace while Uchenna Kanu grabbed two headers as the Super Falcons sealed a 7-0 aggregate win
- Nigeria and Morocco now face each other in the third round in March 2027, renewing one of Africa's fiercest women's football rivalries
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The Super Falcons of Nigeria booked their place in the third round of the LA 2028 Olympic qualifiers on Tuesday, October 13, after hammering Comoros 5-0 in the second leg of their second-round tie, held at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
Having already secured a 2-0 lead from the first leg through goals from Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu, Nigeria wasted little time in turning the return fixture into a statement performance.
Source: Getty Images
As seen on the NFF's official website, Toni Payne opened the scoring in the 41st minute after Kanu won the ball by pressing the Comoros goalkeeper before threading a pass through for Payne to finish. That 1-0 lead held through to the break.
The second half brought more of the same. Kanu doubled Nigeria's advantage on the night in the 57th minute, heading home a cross from Folashade Ijamilusi.
Payne then completed her brace six minutes later, converting a chance created by substitute Blessing Okpe to make it 3-0.
Kanu added her second of the match in the 66th minute with another header from an Ijamilusi assist, before Christy Ucheibe calmly converted a penalty in the 72nd minute after Okpe was fouled inside the box.
The final score on the night was 5-0, giving Nigeria a commanding 7-0 aggregate victory.
The result sends the 10-time African champions into the third round, where the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed they will face Morocco in March 2027.
Super Falcons to renew rivalry with Morocco
The draw sets up what has become one of the most compelling matchups in African women's football.
For much of the early history between these two sides, Nigeria were simply untouchable.
The Super Falcons put eight goals past Morocco at the 1998 Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Abeokuta and six past them at the 2000 edition, with players like Mercy Akide and Florence Omagbemi producing performances that remain part of Super Falcons folklore.
The rivalry began to shift in 2022. At the WAFCON semi-finals in Rabat, Nigeria were reduced to nine players, including losing star midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade to a red card, yet still forced the tie to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.
Morocco eventually won 5-4 on penalties, reaching their first-ever WAFCON final.
As seen on CAF Online, the most recent chapter was the 2024 WAFCON final, played in July 2025 in Rabat after the tournament was postponed.
Morocco surged to a 2-0 lead before the Super Falcons mounted a memorable second-half fightback.
Goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and an 88th-minute strike from Jennifer Echegini completed a 3-2 victory, securing Nigeria's tenth continental title in what became known as "Mission X."
With March 2027 confirmed as the date for the next instalment, both nations will arrive with recent history and high stakes fresh in mind.
Super Falcons invite 28 players for Comoros clash
Legit.ng previously reported about the 28 Super Falcons players invited for Nigeria’s LA 2028 Olympics qualifying tie against Comoros.
Comoros arrive after scoring 30 goals across two legs against Sudan, setting up a tough test for Nigeria as only two African teams will qualify for the Olympics.
Source: Legit.ng
