CASABLANCA, Morocco -- Relentless Nigeria delivered a display worthy of champions while neutralising Zambia's fearsome attacking threat to demolish the Copper Queens 5-0 in Friday's first Women's Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca.
Goals from Osinachi Ohale, Esther Okoronkwo and Chimwendu Ihezuo during a lethal first-half attacking showing keep the Super Falcons on course for a record-extending 12th continental crown as they now advance to Tuesday's semifinal against either reigning champions South Africa or Senegal, who meet in Oudja on Saturday.
Billed as a meeting between one of the most fearsome attacking duos in the women's game - Zambia's Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji - and an impregnable Nigeria defence that went unreached through the group stage, it was the Super Falcons delivered one of the most comprehensive attacking performances of the tournament, with Oluwatosin Demehin and Folashade Ijamilusi adding to Zambia's humiliation in the second half.
It was one of their celebrated defensive unit - Ohale - who forged the opening with barely a minute on the clock when she leapt to meet Okoronkwo's lofted free kick and head beyond goalkeeper Ngambo Musole, who remained rooted to the ground.
Zambia had conceded the innocuous - but decisive - foul in the opening moments of the contest, with Lushomo Mweeba deemed - perhaps harshly - to have bundled Okoronkwo over as the pair challenged for a high ball. It set the tone for a one-sided first half.
Nigeria nearly doubled their lead soon after, with Musole forced into a fifth-minute double save, including denying Okoronkwo from point-blank range.
Zambia, for whom defensive frailties have long been the criticism aimed at this talented squad, looked vulnerable down their left during the opening exchanges, with Ijamilusi - a surprising inclusion on the right flank - and the overlapping Michelle Alozie enjoying space to operate.
Steadily, however, Zambia settled and began to impose themselves, although the inventive Grace Chanda found herself repeatedly squeezed out in central areas and Banda, attempting to latch onto direct balls forward, was well marshalled by Nigeria's defensive duo Ohale and Demehin.
Their forays forward became increasingly hopeful, however, with Banda visibly frustrated, barring one promising passage, just before the half-hour mark, when with the ball at her feet, she stretched Ohale and cutback for Chanda, only for her Orlando Pride teammate to fluff her lines.
Minutes later, Nigeria added a second, as captain Rasheedat Ajibade, clearly looking more comfortable when operating in a wider position on the left, sent a fine cross into the Zambian box.
Again, the She-polopolo defence were hesitant, allowing the ball to drop, again they were slow to close down, and Okoronkwo finished confidently to further vindicate Justin Mudugu's decision to put his faith in her to lead the line.
On the stroke of half-time, Nigeria had a third, effectively killing the contest as Ihezuo picked up a long-ball forward, with the Zambian defence again failing to address the threat, capitalised on a lapse from Maggie Belemu, and fired confidently beyond Musole.
Zambia's decision to plump for the diminutive Belemu ahead of the more imposing Martha Tembo appeared increasingly suspect as the half wore on, with the former finding herself repeatedly outmatched by Nigeria's physical, athletic forwards.
Zambia were a spent force after the break, with jittery attempts to play out from the back inviting Nigeria forward, and Banda and Kundananji rarely getting much of a sniff against the Nigeria defenders as they sought to meet speculative punts up the pitch.
Kundananji increasingly came deep to attempt to force matters in Nigeria's favour, but the Falcons' stuck tight to their opponents, leaving Zambia's famous forward line increasingly running down blind alleys and waving their arms in exasperation.
It was 2022's defeated semifinalists who added a fourth, with another fine Okowonko long ball - this time from a free kick in the right channel - picking out Demehin at the backpost. Her 68th-minute close-range header left besieged Musole with no chance.
Six-time African Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who has looked out of sorts in recent games, was given a 20-minute run-out, and nearly got the better of Mweemba after breaking through, only for the Zambia defender to recover the situation with a sprawling tackle in the box.
It was Ijamilusi who added the fifth in the 91st minute, arriving at the backpost to tap home after the impressive Ajibade ran directly at the Zambian defence, none of whom were able to cut out her dangerous cross.
In 1998, Nigeria won the title without conceding a goal during the entirety of the WAFCON tournament, on the evidence of this performance, you wouldn't count against them repeating the feat.