Nigeria midfielder Halimatu Ayinde has won a historic European trophy after BK Häcken defeated Hammarby IF 4-2 on aggregate to win the inaugural UEFA Women’s Europa Cup in Sweden on Friday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Ayinde was not included in the matchday squad for either leg of the final, but her club still delivered a disciplined and dominant performance across both matches, building on a slender advantage from the first leg in Stockholm before sealing victory in Gothenburg.
The Swedish side confirmed their superiority in the second leg at the Hisingen Arena, where a 3-2 win completed a 4-2 aggregate triumph and ensured they became the first winners of the newly created competition.
The success adds another significant honour to Ayinde’s career and places her among a select group of Nigerian players to have won major European women’s club silverware.
She now joins Asisat Oshoala as one of the Nigerians to have lifted a major UEFA women’s club title.
Oshoala remains Africa’s most successful forward in Europe, having made history in 2019 by becoming the first African player to score in a UEFA Women’s Champions League final during her time at Barcelona. She went on to win the competition in 2021, becoming the first African woman to lift the trophy, a landmark achievement that still stands.
Ayinde’s latest triumph also sees her share a historic African milestone in the Europa Cup with Malawian midfielder Faith Chinzimu, who is also part of the BK Häcken squad.
Both players have now become part of history as winners of the inaugural edition of the competition.
The final itself marked the first staging of the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, a new continental tournament introduced by UEFA and featuring clubs across Europe in a two-legged knockout format.
Victory also guarantees BK Häcken a place in the third qualifying round of next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.
On the pitch in Gothenburg, Felicia Schröder was the decisive figure as she scored a hat-trick to inspire Häcken’s 3-2 second-leg win.
The 19-year-old opened the scoring early before adding a second within minutes, while Hammarby responded through headers from Svea Rehnberg and Elin Sørum to briefly revive hopes of a comeback.
Schröder, however, completed her hat-trick after the break with a composed finish, restoring Häcken’s control and ensuring the Swedish side held firm to seal the aggregate victory.
Beyond the Europa Cup success, Ayinde has built a highly decorated career at both club and international level.
She has won three Women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles with Nigeria in 2014, 2016 and 2024.
At youth level, she featured in the Nigeria side that finished runners-up at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. She has also represented Nigeria at senior level, including the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2023 edition.
At club level, she has played for Western New York Flash in the United States, Delta Queens in Nigeria and Eskilstuna United in Sweden.
With FC Rosengård, she won the Damallsvenskan in 2021, 2022 and 2024, as well as the Svenska Cupen in the 2021–22 season.
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