Cup holders and 10-time champions Nigeria leads a cast of heavyweights who have put themselves in good positions to advance to next year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations finals – the 14th edition to be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco.

Hosts Morocco, losing finalists in the past two editions that they hosted (lost to South Africa in 2022 and to Nigeria this summer), have qualified automatically as hosts of the championship to be staged from March 17 to April 3.

While the Super Falcons were underscoring their superiority over African opposition by defeating the Amazons of the Bénin Republic 2-0 in Lome on Friday, Zambia (stunned with five goals by Nigeria in this summer’s captivating feast in Morocco) won their away tie 4-2 to Namibia in Windhoek. They have a simple job to do in the return leg in Ndola tomorrow.

Ghana’s Black Queens trashed hosts Egypt 3-0, with the return leg set for Accra tomorrow, while Mali’s senior girls got the better of Cape Verde 1-0 away in Praia.

Angola and Malawi ended their first leg in Luanda scoreless, same as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire in Dakar, while hosts Kenya saw off The Gambia won 3-1 in Nairobi and Algeria edged Cameroon 2-1.

Burkina Faso and Tanzania have decent 2-0 leads on Togo and Ethiopia, respectively, going for their return legs on away ground, while South Africa’s Banyana Banyana forced the Democratic Republic of Congo to a 1-1 draw away from home.

Ethiopia hosted Tanzania in Addis Ababa yesterday, while all 10 other return-leg encounters are held tomorrow.

Nigeria hosts Bénin’s Amazons at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta from 4.00 p.m., with a two-goal cushion from the first leg courtesy of Chinwendu Ihezuo and Esther Okoronkwo.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has selected Dominique Rosa Hanjavola from Madagascar as referee for tomorrow’s clash between the Super Falcons and the Amazons, with Zimbabwean official Claris Simango as assistant referee 1. Hasimbola Rasoloniaina from Madagascar will work as assistant referee 2, while Grace Gimo from Zimbabwe will be in the role of fourth official.

Christine Ziga from Ghana will serve as commissioner, while Ndeye Fatou Seye from Senegal will be the referee assessor.