Asisat Oshoala delivered another statement performance on Wednesday night, scoring her second consecutive hat-trick to send Al Hilal into the final of the Saudi Women’s Premier Challenge Cup, while Jennifer Echegini marked a personal milestone in Europe despite Paris Saint-Germain’s elimination from the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The Nigerian forward was the driving force behind Al Hilal’s emphatic 6–2 semi-final victory over Al Ahly, underlining her growing influence in Saudi women’s football. Oshoala opened the scoring early, adding a second before the break to put her side firmly in control. Her intelligent movement and clinical finishing proved too much for the Al Ahly defence to contain.
Al Hilal extended their dominance shortly after the restart when Jéssica Silva made it 3–0. Oshoala then completed her hat-trick, her second in successive matches, effectively ending the contest. Further goals from Silva and Oshoala sealed a commanding win and confirmed Al Hilal’s place in the final.
The club’s women’s team captured the mood on social media, describing the striker’s form simply as, “She’s on fire.”
Oshoala’s latest exploits mean she has now scored six goals in two matches, following her treble in the quarter-final win over Eastern Flames. The six-time African Women’s Player of the Year is now one match away from lifting her first trophy with the Riyadh-based club, having quickly established herself as the competition’s standout performer.
There will be no all-Nigerian final, however. In the other semi-final, Al Nassr overwhelmed Al Ittihad 5–0, with Clara Luvanga scoring twice and further goals from Andreia Faria, Ruth Kipoyi and Shuruq Al-Hawsawi. The result sets up a final between the top two sides in the Saudi Women’s Premier League, with Al Nassr currently leading the table ahead of second-placed Al Hilal.
While Oshoala dominated proceedings in Saudi Arabia, attention in Europe turned to Jennifer Echegini, who scored her first Champions League goal for PSG in their group-stage draw with Benfica. The Super Falcons midfielder found the net inside five minutes, giving the French side an early advantage and a promising start.
Benfica responded before half-time after winning a penalty, which Carole Costa converted to restore parity. PSG thought they had regained the lead in the second half through Merveille Kanjinga, but a prolonged VAR review ruled out the goal, shifting momentum away from the hosts.
The match ended 1–1, a result that confirmed the exit of both teams from the competition. Benfica finished 16th and PSG 17th in the group standings, with each side managing just two points from six matches.
For Echegini, the night was mixed. The goal represented a significant personal achievement at Europe’s highest level, but it came without progression to the knockout stages. PSG will now refocus on domestic duties, with the Nigerian midfielder expected to play a key role as preparations begin for the Paris derby against Paris FC.
Taken together, the contrasting outcomes highlight both the individual impact Nigerian players continue to make abroad and the differing trajectories of their teams. Oshoala’s form has placed Al Hilal firmly on course for silverware, while Echegini’s breakthrough goal offers encouragement for the future, even as PSG’s European campaign comes to an end.
