Nigeria edges Tunisia 3-2 in a nervy 15 minutes in Fès on Saturday and booked an early spot in the Round of 16 of the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Nigeria raced to a 3-0 lead after 70 minutes, with goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman.
However, a tense finish ensued when the Carthage Eagles pulled two back with three minutes to go.
The three-time champions left no one in doubt of their objective from the first blast of Malian referee Boubou Traore’s whistle, as they imposed themselves on the game and asked several questions of the Tunisian defence within the first quarter-hour, as Osimhen, Lookman, and Akor Adams probed relentlessly.
The Osimhen Moment
After coming close on several occasions, Osimhen thought he had given Nigeria the lead in the 17th minute, when he stabbed in as the Tunisian goalkeeper parried a shot by Adams. Referee Traore ruled his effort offside.
Moments later, the talismanic forward would not be denied his first goal of this AFCON, as he leaped high to head the ball firmly into the net in the 44th minute after a deep cross by Lookman.
Five minutes into the second half, Nigeria were 2-0 up, as Lookman’s teasing corner was all that captain Wilfred Ndidi needed to score his first goal for Nigeria at senior level, on his 73rd cap.
The Eagles were relentless in chasing every ball.
After a brilliant team move that saw Alex Iwobi and Osimhen exploit gaps in the Carthage Eagles’ rearguard, Lookman scored his second of the tournament by leaving the defence in tatters and striking the ball into the net through the low upright.
Iwobi, on his 93rd cap, was again magnificent with excellent ball distribution on the park.
Nigeria Edges Tunisia: A Nervy 15 minutes and Extra Time
Despite Nigeria’s dominance, Tunisia got one goal back off a free-kick from the right through a header by Montassar Talbi.
Furthermore, in the 87th minute, Ali Abdi made no mistake from the spot after Traore consulted the VAR and decided a foul had been committed in Nigeria’s vital area.
With three minutes to go and a further seven extra minutes, Nigeria held on to pick maximum points and leap to the top of the group, with six points, ahead of Tuesday’s clash with the Cranes of Uganda.
