Nigeria displayed remarkable determination to secure a 3-2 victory over Tunisia in Fès on Saturday, earning an early place in the Round of 16 of the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The Eagles dominated the match, leading 3-0 after 70 minutes thanks to goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman.
However, the Carthage Eagles made the finish tense by scoring two late goals, bringing the score to 3-2 with just three minutes remaining, which sparked a glimmer of hope for them.
From the very start, the three-time champions made their intentions clear, applying pressure on the Tunisian defense and creating several chances in the first 15 minutes, with Osimhen, Lookman, and Akor Adams leading the charge.
Osimhen nearly opened the scoring in the 17th minute when he tapped in a rebound after the Tunisian goalkeeper deflected a shot from Adams, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The star forward finally found the net in the 44th minute, heading in a deep cross from Lookman to score his first goal of this AFCON.
Just five minutes into the second half, Nigeria extended their lead to 2-0 when Lookman’s corner kick was perfectly converted by captain Wilfred Ndidi, marking his first senior international goal in his 73rd appearance.
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The Eagles continued to press, and it was no surprise when Lookman, who assisted the first two goals, scored his own goal by skillfully navigating through the defense and placing the ball into the net after a well-coordinated team effort involving Alex Iwobi and Osimhen.
Iwobi, playing in his 93rd match, was outstanding, showcasing excellent ball distribution throughout the game.
Tunisia managed to pull one back with a header from Montassar Talbi following a free-kick from the right, and in the 87th minute, Ali Abdi converted a penalty after the referee consulted VAR and determined a foul had occurred in Nigeria’s penalty area.
This late goal made for a tense conclusion, but Nigeria held firm to secure all three points and rise to the top of the group with six points, ahead of their upcoming match against the Cranes of Uganda on Tuesday.
