Nigeria's Super Falcons produced a dominant attacking performance to thrash Egypt 6-2 in their final Group C fixture at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), sealing their place in the quarter-finals in a match packed with penalties, VAR drama, and a flurry of second-half goals.
Nigeria went into the match at the Olympic Stadium/Stade Larbi Zaouli in Rabat on Wednesday, August 5, needing a win to guarantee progress after an unpredictable group stage. The defending champions had suffered a shock 3-2 opening defeat to tournament debutants Malawi, before recovering with a 1-0 win over Zambia, a match they played more than half of with ten players following a red card to defender Tosin Demehin. Nigeria also went into the Egypt game without midfielder Jennifer Echegini, suspended after two bookings. Egypt, by contrast, arrived already eliminated, having lost 6-0 to Zambia and 3-1 to Malawi, and were playing purely for pride.
Nigeria set the tone early, taking the lead in the 21st minute when captain-in-form Asisat Oshoala calmly converted a penalty awarded after a VAR handball review. Substitute Gift Monday doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, finishing off a slick short-corner routine involving Toni Payne and Rinsola Babajide. Egypt pulled one back just before the break through a Nadine Ghazi penalty, sending the sides in at half-time 2-1.
Nigeria took full control after the restart. Substitute Uchenna Kanu needed only seconds after coming on to restore the two-goal cushion in the 57th minute with a crisp left-footed finish, capitalising on defensive errors. The Super Falcons then converted back-to-back VAR-awarded penalties, Christy Ucheibe and captain Rasheedat Ajibade both scoring from the spot, before substitute Joy Omewa completed the rout. Ghazi added a second penalty for Egypt late on, but it did little to change the outcome.
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Nigeria finished with 59% possession and six goals from six different attacking contributors. The match featured four penalty awards in total, Nigeria converted three of theirs, Egypt scored one. Several players picked up bookings, including Egypt's Essam H., Menna Tarek, and Nour Abdelwahed, as well as Nigeria's Michelle Alozie and Uchenna Kanu; Egypt head coach Mohamed Kamal was also cautioned late in the game. Egyptian goalkeeper Sabry made a string of first-half saves that kept the scoreline from ballooning even further before Nigeria's floodgates opened after the interval.
Rinsola Babajide was named Woman of the Match after a standout individual performance, providing two assists and repeatedly tormenting Egypt's backline with her pace and delivery.
The result sends Nigeria into the WAFCON 2026 quarter-finals, where they will face old rivals Cameroon. Should the Super Falcons progress past that tie, they would meet the winner of the South Africa–Morocco quarter-final in the semi-finals, as Nigeria continues its bid for a record-extending 11th WAFCON title.
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