First leg

Rwanda 1-4 Nigeria

Senegal 1-1 Cameroon

Friday

Algeria 2-1 Tunisia

Côte d’Ivoire 1-1 Eq. Guinea

Comoros 0-13 South Africa

THE HEAD of women football in Rwanda, Félecité Rwemalika has said that the She-Amavubi 4-1 home defeat against Nigeria on Saturday could have been worse.

"We wanted to win but it is not easy against Nigeria. Our girls did the best to stop the Super Falcons from registering a bigger score line. To lose 4-1 against Nigeria is no surprise, it could have been worse,” Rwemalika said.

She hailed the goalkeeper for making brilliant saves, which saved her team from a worse humiliation. 

Nigeria scored four goals through Azizat Oshoala (two), Esther Sunday and Desire Oparanozie, while Rwanda’s consolation goal was scored by Clementine Mukamana from a free-kick.

The Super Falcons are ranked top in Africa and 34th on the Fifa/Coca Coca-Cola women’s world ranking, and have won the African title a record eight times, including the first six editions from 1991 through 2006, while Rwanda are unranked.

Kenya, whom the She-Amavubi eliminated in the first round are ranked 36th in Africa and 123rd in the world.

Following the heavy defeat, which all but ends Rwanda’s run in the qualifying campaign, Rwemalika admitted that the Nigerians were the better team and they deserved the win.

She-Amavubi coach Grace Nyinawumuntu said her players did the best but it was not good enough. 

"My players did what they could and we lost. I’m not very sad because we lost to the best team in Africa,” Nyinawumuntu said.

The return-leg encounter is in two weeks on June 8 in Nigeria.

The 2014 Africa Women Championships finals tournament will be held in Namibia from October 11 to 25. The last edition was held in South Africa in 2012 and was claimed by Equatorial Guinea.