The Super Falcons started their campaign at the Turkish Women’s Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win against CSKA Moscow Ladies.
The Super Falcons on Thursday won their opening game in the Turkish Women’s Tournament in Antalya against CSKA Moscow in a domineering performance.
The African side came into the contest on the heels of a 15-month hiatus with twenty-three-year-old Chinwendu Ihezuo scoring a decisive goal for Randy Waldrum’s side in the 18th minute to give the African team a good start as they push to win a competition which has so far eluded the continent.
Ihezuo tapped in a Francisca Ordega low cross to give Nigeria all three points in their first match since the team’s elimination from the race for the football event of the Tokyo Olympic Games 15 months ago.
Randy Waldrum’s side dominated the opening exchanges with Asisat Oshola coming close to scoring the curtain-raiser in six minutes but was muscled away from the ball by Bratko Ekaterina.
The Barcelona Ladies star was booked for a foul play in the 15th minute.
The Russian club almost got an equaliser in the second half of the game but she was intercepted by Halimat Ayinde.
Midfielders Patricia George and Antoniette Payne made their debuts in the game played at the Emir Sports Complex and the first match for Waldrum who, less than 48 hours before the game, signed a formal agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
CSKA Moscow piled pressure on the Nigerian defence in the closing stages but was unable to find a way back into the game.
The win sees Nigeria open their campaign on a high and puts them in the second position in the group, tied on three points but separated from leaders Uzbekistan by goals scored.
The result left Waldrum in a celebratory mood on his fine start. The Super Falcons will aim to claim top spot when they faced table-toppers Uzbekistan in their second match at the same venue on Saturday.