The Super Eagles Book Afcon Knockout Spot In Spite of Fierce Tunisia Fightback
Former Continent's Best Player of the Year Victor Osimhen helped his team build a 3-0 lead, before the Super Eagles were compelled to hold on for a narrow victory.
The three-time champions survived a dramatic late rally from their opponents to progress to the knockout stage of the Afcon tournament being held in the host nation.
The Super Eagles appeared to be cruising in their pool clash in Fes, enjoying a 3-0 cushion with just 17 minutes left courtesy of goals from their attacking trio.
However, a Tunisian defender reduced the deficit with a close-range finish from a Hannibal Mejbri set-piece, sparking hopes of a recovery.
The drama escalated when the North Africans were given a spot-kick after a VAR review identified a handball by the Nigerian defender. The left-back calmly slotted home in the dying stages to create a nail-biting conclusion.
Tunisia came agonizingly close from a last-gasp equalizer in stoppage time, with their skipper directing a opportunity narrowly wide before Ismael Gharbi sent a half-volley past the goal frame.
Clinching First Place
The victory ensures that the Super Eagles, winners of the competition on three previous occasions, advance to six points and are guaranteed first place in Group C with one game left to be contested.
In the next round, they will meet a best third-place team from either Group A, B or F.
In the other match, Tunisia remain on 3 group points, with the East African teams tied on one point each after playing out a 1-1 draw earlier on Saturday.
The concluding pool fixtures will see the group leaders remain in the city to play Uganda on the next matchday, while the Eagles of Carthage travel back to Rabat to face Tanzania.
A Nervy Conclusion
Ali Abdi drilled the ball from the penalty spot to offer Tunisia a glimmer of hope of earning a draw.
Nigeria, finalists in the 2023 edition, become the next team after the Pharaohs to reach the next phase, but their manager and supporters will undoubtedly be breathing a sigh of relief.
What seemed set to be a straightforward last period morphed into a tense affair.
Victor Osimhen had a goal ruled out for an infringement before opening the scoring on the stroke of half-time, precisely placing a header into the bottom corner from an Ademola Lookman cross.
The lead was doubled early in the second half when the Leicester City midfielder climbed above everyone to thump in a powerful nod from a set-piece kick.
Osimhen then turned provider his teammate for the seemingly decisive goal, before the defender to direct a header past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to begin the comeback.
The key moment came when a looping cross hit the forearm of Bright Osayi-Samuel, with the official awarding a penalty after reviewing the VAR monitor.
Although the defender's successful penalty, the 2004 champions in the end fell short of pulling off a remarkable recovery.
Tunisia's destiny remains in their own hands; a draw against Tunisia will be sufficient to see them through, and their coach will be eager to avoid a recurrence of the 2013 early elimination that led to his departure.
