Peter Rufai was honored by the Super Falcons during the team’s opening group B match at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, on Sunday in Casablanca.
The Falcons, were granted permission by CAF to strap on black armbands in memory of Rufai who passed a few days before their tournament curtain raiser.
A major figure in Nigerian football, Peter Rufai earned 65 caps as the Men’s NT first choice goalkeeper between 1983 and 1998, winning the 1994 AFCON and qualifying the Country for its’ first ever World Cup appearance.
In addition to the armbands, the teams also held a minute’s silence before kick off at the Stade Larbi Zaouli before a very modest crowd .
Fittingly, it was the record Women’s POTY, Asisat Oshoala (4′) who got Nigeria off the mark on the day, and she showed off an inscription to honor Rufai after her opening goal against Tunisia.
It was the first of three goals by Justin Madugu’s Super Falcons, with Rinsola Babajide (45+1′) and Chiwendu Ihezuo (84′) also finding the back of the net to lose out a routine 3-0 victory against the North Africans.
That win propelled Nigeria to the top of group B on a superior gold difference following Algeria’s 1-0 victory against Botswana in the other group game.
