Published On 23 Dec 2025
Given the chances his team gave up on Tuesday, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle would have hoped for more goals than they would have hoped given their disappointment of not being selected for the 2026 World Cup.
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Victor Osimhen, a star striker, was one of the culprits. He couldn’t have scored, but with better finishing, he could have a hat-trick.
Semi Ajayi, a centre-half of Nigeria, opened the scoring early in the second half before Charles M’Mombwa equalized shortly after half-time.
However, Lookman’s equalizing goal shortly after spared Nigeria’s blushes was struck by the Atalanta attacker.
Three-time champions Nigeria and Tanzania both struggled to find a footing in the first half, which was a predictable pattern as they pressed for a win in three of their previous AFCON matches.
After advancing off his line to block Akor Adams’ shot, Tanzania goalkeeper Zuberi Masudi injured his facial muscles.
Adams’ near-post header hit the top of the crossbar from the resultant corner, which Sevilla striker came close to doing.
On 14 minutes, Saimon Msuva’s acrobatic shot, which Stanley Nwabali comfortably saved, made the East Africans’ first-ever threat.
Nigerian frustrations started to show as the rain started to fall in Fez, with Ibrahim Hamad throwing a fist at 2023 African player of the year Osimhen out.
Osimhen then became the heart of the Nigerian attacks, threatening to score twice before Bakari Nondo’s off-balanced attempt was saved.
The Super Eagles took the lead after that set-piece when Alex Iwobi’s cross was tapped into the net by Ajayi for his second international goal.
Just before half-time, Samuel Chukwueze had a chance to increase the lead, but Masudi tipped his close-range effort over.
An Osimhen goal was declared offside in the opening seven minutes of the second period, before M’Mombwa equalized on 50 minutes. The following year, Lookman, the 2024 African player of the year, restored Nigeria’s lead with a rising shot from just outside the box.
In the vain attempt to increase Adams’ lead before their most difficult Group C game against Tunisia on Saturday, Chelle accidentally switched Moses Simon to them in the name of tradition.
With three minutes left, Tanzania wasted a chance to equalize when Mohamed Hussein’s cross scurried past Nwabali, but substitute Kelvin John was unable to get the ball in the net.
On December 30th, Nigeria will face Uganda in their final group match.
Tanzania will face Uganda on Saturday, and Tunisia will meet them in December for the final group meeting.
Source: Aljazeera
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