Omewa Shines as Nigeria Complete Friendly Double Over Senegal

The Super Falcons continued their impressive preparations for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a commanding 3-0 victory over Senegal in an international friendly at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

Emerging forward Joy Omewa stole the spotlight with a brilliant second-half brace before veteran striker Asisat Oshoala added a third goal to complete another dominant performance by Africa’s most successful women’s national team.

The victory completed a clean sweep over Senegal following Nigeria’s triumph in the first friendly encounter and provided further evidence that the Falcons are steadily finding rhythm ahead of their title defence in Morocco. Despite controlling much of the first half, Nigeria initially struggled to convert their dominance into goals.

Captain Rasheedat Ajibade threatened from an early set-piece while Omewa came agonisingly close to opening the scoring after striking the woodwork following an excellent attacking move.

Gift Monday was a constant menace throughout the opening period, repeatedly stretching the Senegalese defence with her pace and movement.

Yet the breakthrough remained elusive as Senegal managed to survive sustained pressure and reach halftime level.

The deadlock was finally broken three minutes after the restart.

A precise delivery from Shukurat Oladipo found Omewa inside the penalty area, and the striker rose confidently to direct a header beyond the goalkeeper and hand Nigeria a deserved lead.

The goal transformed the contest.

With confidence surging through the home side, Omewa struck again seven minutes later, displaying strength, determination and composure as she shrugged off defensive pressure before calmly finishing to double Nigeria’s advantage.

The Falcons were now in complete control.

Head coach Justin Madugu introduced Oshoala in place of the impressive Omewa, and the six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year wasted little time making her presence felt.

In the 66th minute, Ajibade embarked on a purposeful run before delivering a perfectly weighted pass to Oshoala, who finished clinically to make it 3-0 and effectively end the contest.

The result reflected Nigeria’s superiority across all areas of the pitch.

Defensively organised, physically dominant and creative in attack, the Falcons consistently dictated the tempo and limited Senegal’s opportunities throughout the encounter.

Perhaps the biggest positive for the coaching crew was the emergence of younger players such as Omewa, whose performance demonstrated the growing depth within the national team setup.

As preparations intensify for WAFCON, Nigeria’s coaching staff will be encouraged by both the results and performances produced over the two matches.

The Super Falcons remain Africa’s most decorated women’s football team, and expectations will once again be high as they head to Morocco seeking to extend their continental dominance.

If recent performances are any indication, the Falcons appear determined to arrive at the tournament in peak condition and ready to challenge for another African title.