The Cape Verdians were not a match to the Super Falcons despite their impressive 6-3 aggregate win over Liberia in the first round of the qualifiers.
But they were no match for the nine-time Africa queens in the FCT on Thursday afternoon.
Kanu put the nine-time African champions ahead when she found the net with an easy tap from the edge of the box in the seventh minute.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie made a stunning save to deny Cape Verde from equalizing shortly after.
It was the wake-up call Nigeria needed as Tenerife forward Monday doubled the lead for the Falcons following a goalmouth scramble in the 25th minute.
Pitts midfielder Deborah Abiodun was running rings around the Cape Verdeans in midfield. Still, it was Atletico Madrid midfielder Rasheedat Ajibade who came close to making it three in the 33rd minute, but her fine effort flew narrowly wide.
Nigeria would not be denied, though, as Kanu scored the third with her second of the match off Toni Payne’s brilliant pass just before halftime.
Esther Okoronkwo replaced club teammate Monday in the 53rd minute, and shortly after the hour mark, the substitute increased Nigeria’s lead to four with a sublime finish off Akudo Ogbonna’s cross.
Eleven minutes later, Esther Okoronkwo grabbed her second of the match as she pounced on Rofiat Imuran’s cross to make it five for the home side.
Both teams will meet again for the second leg on December 5 at the Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia.
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