Nigeria champions Edo Queens made a sensational start to their WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifying campaign after thrashing AS Garde Nationale of Niger 7-0 in their opening Group B encounter in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Edo Queens wasted no time making their intentions clear as Chioma Moses opened the scoring in the fifth minute, giving the Nigerian champions an early advantage and putting their opponents under immediate pressure.

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Moses doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time after converting from the penalty spot, sending Edo Queens into the break with a commanding 2-0 advantage.

The Nigerian champions returned from the interval with even greater intensity, with Atume Doosuur scoring just two minutes into the second half to make it 3-0.

Doosuur completed her brace in the 56th minute before Aminat Folorunsho added a fifth goal six minutes later as Edo Queens continued to tear apart the AS Garde Nationale defence.

Moses completed her hat-trick in the 76th minute, producing the standout individual performance of the match, before Oluwakemi Adegbuyi put the finishing touch on the emphatic victory with the seventh goal in the third minute of stoppage time.

The victory was built around a sensational display from Chioma Moses, who emerged as the Woman of the Match after scoring three goals and playing a central role in Edo Queens’ dominant performance.

Moses’ hat-trick not only underlined her clinical finishing but also gave the Nigerian champions a major attacking weapon as they began their campaign in emphatic fashion.

The 7-0 demolition gives Edo Queens an early boost in their bid to secure another appearance at the CAF Women’s Champions League after their impressive run in the competition in 2024.

Edo Queens won the WAFU-B competition on their debut in 2024 before going on to finish fourth at the CAF Women’s Champions League later that year. (“aclsports.com” (https://www.aclsports.com/caf-womens-champions-league-edo-queens-in-burkina-faso-for-qualifiers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

Ahead of this year’s competition, Edo Queens assistant coach Gabriel Benson had expressed confidence in the squad and challenged the players to represent Nigeria and Edo State with pride.

“Edo Queens have all it takes to make the country proud,” Benson said before the tournament. (“punchng.com” (https://punchng.com/edo-queens-begin-wafu-b-campaign-against-as-gnn/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

“The girls are ready and good to go.”

They backed up that confidence with a ruthless performance, with Moses’ hat-trick and Doosuur’s brace highlighting the attacking firepower available to the Nigerian champions.

Edo Queens will now turn their attention to their remaining Group B fixtures against ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa, knowing that stronger tests await them in their pursuit of a place in the CAF Women’s Champions League.

But after putting seven goals past AS Garde Nationale in their opening match, Edo Queens have already delivered a powerful warning to their WAFU-B rivals — and with Woman of the Match Chioma Moses leading the charge, the Nigerian champions look ready for another big continental run.