Nigeria Defeats Egypt in Thrilling Match to Reach Quarter-Finals

Nigeria, the ten-time champions, had a dramatic match on Wednesday. They advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 WAFCON after beating Egypt 6-2 in Rabat. This thrilling game was reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.

The Super Falcons started off shaky, with one win and one loss in their first two matches. They relied on the outcome of the game between Malawi and Zambia to determine their fate. Egypt was already out of the competition before the match, while Nigeria needed a win to stay in contention for the quarter-finals.

At the other venue in Rabat, Zambia quickly scored against Malawi. Meanwhile, Justine Madugu’s team took the lead against Egypt with a penalty from Asisat Oshoala, making it 1-0 for Nigeria.

With both matches at 1-0, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia all had six points. The tie-breakers for points, goal difference, and goals scored among these three teams would determine who advanced. All three teams were tied with three points and a goal difference of zero.

In goals scored, Malawi had three, Nigeria also had three, and Zambia had one, putting the Copper Queens in danger of elimination. But Zambia turned things around with a second goal, boosting their goal difference to +1 and putting them at the top of the table.

Nigeria was second with a zero goal difference, while Malawi risked elimination in third with a -1 goal difference. Gift Monday came off the bench and scored Nigeria’s second goal from Rinsola Babajide’s low cross. Egypt fought back and scored a penalty just before halftime.

After the break, the Super Falcons restored their two-goal lead with Uchenna Kanu scoring with her first touch. The game changed again when Tabitha Chawinga scored for Malawi, putting them top of the table with zero goal difference and four goals.

Nigeria remained second with a zero goal difference and three goals scored. Zambia fell to third and faced elimination with zero goal difference and two goals scored. In the 81st minute, Christy Ucheibe scored Nigeria’s fourth goal from a penalty, but Egypt responded with another goal from Nadin Yasser Ezzat Ghazy.

As the referee checked a possible third penalty for Nigeria, the game between Zambia and Malawi ended 2-1 in favor of Zambia. They realized that the result was not enough to keep them in the tournament. Captain Rasheedat Ajibade scored to bring the score to 5-2.

Celebrations began among the Malawians at the Al Madina Stadium. They advanced to the quarter-finals in their first-ever WAFCON, raising their hopes of playing at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

At the Olympic Stadium, Joy Omewa, another substitute, scored to make it 6-2 for Nigeria. The Super Falcons played another eight minutes of extra time before knowing their fate. The ten-time champions advanced to the last eight and will likely face Cameroon on Sunday.