ALGERIA’s Lady Fennecs successfully stifled the Super Falcons to earn a scoreless draw in their final group B match of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Sunday.
The result ensured Algeria earned a spot in the tournament’s quarter-finals for the first time ever, to join Nigeria, who had already qualified since Thursday.
Head Coach Justine Madugu made a number of changes to the squad that started in Thursday’s 1-0 defeat of Botswana.
Defenders Shukurat Oladipo, Miracle Usani and Sikiratu Isah, midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Jennifer Echegini, and forward Francisca Ordega made the starting line-up.
The intention was clear, which was to rest a lot of key players ahead of Friday’s potentially explosive quarter-final encounter against Zambia’s Copper Queens.
In Casablanca on Sunday, Algeria threw women behind the ball in numbers and stifled the play of the Super Falcons.
However, Ordega was vibrant, as she was against Portugal in the friendly match in Lisbon last month.
Her cross just before half time spilled to Ifeoma Onumonu, whose effort was blocked before it got to the Algerian goalkeeper Chloe N’gazi Boumrar.
Later on, Echegini, Ordega and substitute Esther Okoronkwo made efforts, but it ended scoreless and ensured the Lady Fennecs’ progress to the last eight.
Nigeria finished top in the group with seven points, followed by Algeria with five and Botswana and Tunisia with three points and one point respectively.
