Victor Osimhen led Nigeria to victory in Fes, helping them to move into the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage after Egypt, by surviving a late Tunisian assault with a score of 3-2.
On Saturday, the Super Eagles won 3-0 thanks to goals from Wilfred Ndidi, Ademola Lookman, and Osimhen, the team’s captain.
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In the top-of-the-table Group C encounter, Tunisia refused to concede, and Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi scored to set up a tense conclusion.
In the seventh minute of added time, Tunisia had two chances to equalize, but Ferjani Sassi’s header and Ismael Gharbi’s shot were both just off target.
The final group game of Tuesday will feature Nigeria with six points, Tunisia three, and Tanzania and Uganda one each.
The Super Eagles and Carthage Eagles squared off in an AFCON for the seventh time.
Tunisia won once, and Nigeria won three. Following penalty shootouts, each nation won one of the two meetings.
After falling far short of what they needed in the opening round, Nigeria turned heads in the first 30 minutes of play in Tunisia.
Tunisia had to fight back against the three-time champions frequently, especially in aerial duels, while Osimhen excelled.
The Galatasaray striker, who is sporting his signature mask, headed just over after nine minutes before rising to meet a corner kick.
After 17 minutes, Osimhen was awarded an offside penalty. The 2023 African player of the year was filmed on big-screen replays before his run was too early.
After reacting furiously when a Nigerian made a foul throw and flung the ball into the ground, Tunisia midfielder Hannibal Mejbri was fortunate to escape a yellow card for dissent.
Osimhen left the pitch temporarily so that the medical staff could spray a shot to his leg after another headed goal attempt.
On 32 minutes, Tunisia finally forced a corner after breaking out of a defensive shell. The ball was returned to Abdi after the set-piece, and his shot soared well over.
The goalless deadlock was broken after 44 minutes, with Osimhen, as one might expect, being the scorer in a number of Tunisian raids, which failed to yield any results.
Two former African players of the year, Lookman and Osimhen, both advancing past the halfway point, volleyed powerfully into the net.
Nigeria increased their lead to two goals just five minutes into the second half as they once more showed the defense’s aerial weaknesses.
Ndidi soared to beat goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen for his first international goal, but Atalanta striker Lookman was the architect once more as he hung a corner into the goalmouth.
On 67 minutes, Lookman scored the third goal after Osimhen had already set up the first two goals. Before slamming the ball off the post, he had some control over the situation.
With 16 minutes left, Tunisia won the game. After a successful aerial battle, Talbi ducked a Mejbri free-kick into the net.
Tunisia took control of the match and scored it again with three minutes remaining when Abdi converted a penalty after a VAR review revealed Bright Samuel had handled the ball.
Tanzania defeated by Uganda’s penalty chance.
At the Africa Cup of Nations earlier on Saturday, Uganda’s Allan Okello was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Tanzania, which was East Africa’s neighbor.
After Uche Ikpeazu scored a late equaliser for the Cranes in front of 10, 540 fans at Rabat’s Al Medina Stadium, Okello’s failure to convert from the spot gave Uganda a priceless victory in Group C.
Before that, it appeared as though Tanzania, which has lost all but 10 of its previous AFCON matches, might finally win when Simon Msuva scored from the penalty spot.
With 10 minutes left, Ikpeazu, who plays for St Johnstone in the Scottish second division, headed in a cross from fellow substitute Denis Omedi to bring the score level.
“I feel terrible because I don’t believe this draw was merited.” Coach Paul Put of Uganda, “I believe we had more opportunities.”
He remarked about the missed penalty, saying, “That is very, very painful, but that is also football.”
The regional rivals’ odds of making it to Group C’s last 16 are slim because of the impasse, which will see Kenya hosting the 2027 Cup of Nations.
Both teams are currently tied for first place in their previous matches, Nigeria and Tunisia, with the two former champions facing off in Fes on Saturday.
Despite their best efforts, Put, whose team will next face Nigeria, said, “It is not in our hands, but we must believe it.”
Uganda, who have won just one AFCON championship game win in three games since 1978’s final, came closest to scoring in the first half.
Rogers Mato’s head hit a left-angled Aziz Kayondo cross, which bounced back after the effort fell off the crossbar.
Just before the hour mark, Alphonce Msanga’s shot struck the arm of Ugandan Baba Alhassan, who was awarded a spot-kick.
The seasoned Msuva, who plays for club football in Iraq, was unaffected when he first started scoring goals at three different AFCON competitions.
However, Tanzania wasted the lead after a dramatic end to the game in the midst of a pouring downpour before breathing a great sigh of relief as Uganda missed a chance to win.
When James Bogere fell as his shirt was pulled by Tanzanian defender Haji Mnoga of Salford City, Ikpeazu won the penalty, 1-1.
Okello stepped up just before the 90th minute when the game was in the 90th, perhaps offended by a massive thunderclap that sent his kick over the bar.
Coach Miguel Angel Gamondi expressed his disappointment with the outcome, noting that the team attempted to win but had also the opportunity to lose in the final five minutes.
Source: Aljazeera
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