The Super Eagles Secure Afcon Knockout Spot Despite Late Tunisia Fightback
Former Continent's Best Player of the Year Victor Osimhen helped Nigeria establish a commanding lead, before they were compelled to hold on for a narrow victory.
The three-time champions survived a stunning late rally from their opponents to advance to the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in the host nation.
The Super Eagles appeared to be in complete control in their Group C encounter in the Moroccan city, holding a three-goal lead with only 17 minutes left courtesy of goals from their attacking trio.
Yet, Montassar Talbi pulled one back with a close-range finish from a Manchester United midfielder free-kick, igniting hopes of a turnaround.
The drama escalated when the North Africans were given a spot-kick after a VAR review spotted a handball by Bright Osayi-Samuel. The left-back converted in the dying stages to create a frantic conclusion.
Tunisia came agonizingly close from a stunning equalizer in added time, with their skipper heading a chance narrowly wide before a substitute sent a half-volley past the upright.
Securing First Place
This result ensures that Nigeria, champions of the competition on three previous occasions, advance to 6 group points and are guaranteed first place in their pool with one game still to be contested.
For the round of 16, they will meet a third-placed team from one of the other preliminary groups.
Meanwhile, the 2004 champions stay on three group points, with the East African teams tied on a single point each after registering a one-all stalemate in the day's other fixture.
The final group matches will see Nigeria remain in Fes to take on the Cranes on Tuesday, while the Eagles of Carthage return to Rabat to confront Tanzania.
An Anxious Conclusion
Ali Abdi smashed the ball from the penalty spot to give Tunisia hope of earning a point.
The Super Eagles, runners-up in the 2023 edition, are the second nation after the Pharaohs to reach the next phase, but their manager and supporters will certainly be feeling relieved.
What looked like set to be a comfortable final quarter morphed into a tense conclusion.
The prolific striker had a goal ruled out for an infringement before breaking the deadlock on the stroke of the interval, expertly guiding a header into the bottom corner from an Ademola Lookman delivery.
The lead was doubled early in the second half when Wilfred Ndidi rose highest to thump in a powerful nod from a set-piece corner.
The number 9 then turned provider his teammate for the third goal, only for the defender to steer a header past the Nigerian shot-stopper to begin the comeback.
The key incident arrived when a looping cross struck the forearm of the full-back, with referee Boubou Traore pointing to the spot after reviewing the pitchside screen.
Although Ali Abdi's confident conversion, the 2004 champions in the end came up just short of completing a stirring comeback.
Their fate remains in their control; a point against Tanzania will be enough to see them through, and their coach will be eager to avoid a recurrence of the past group-stage exit that resulted in his previous resignation.
