The Super Eagles Book Africa Cup of Nations Knockout Place In Spite of Late Carthage Eagles Fightback
Ex- African Footballer of the Year the Napoli star helped his team build a 3-0 lead, before the Super Eagles were forced to hold on for a narrow win.
The three-time champions survived a dramatic comeback attempt from Tunisia to advance to the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations being held in Morocco.
The Super Eagles seemed to be cruising in their Group C encounter in the Moroccan city, holding a three-goal cushion with only 17 minutes remaining thanks to goals from their attacking trio.
Yet, Montassar Talbi reduced the deficit with a powerful header from a Hannibal Mejbri set-piece, sparking hopes of a recovery.
The tension intensified when the North Africans were awarded a late penalty after a VAR review identified a handball by the Nigerian defender. Ali Abdi converted in the dying stages to create a nail-biting conclusion.
The Carthage Eagles came agonizingly close from a last-gasp leveler in added time, with their skipper heading a chance narrowly wide before a substitute sent a half-volley past the goal frame.
Securing Top Spot
The victory means that the Super Eagles, winners of the competition on three previous occasions, move to six points and are guaranteed top spot in Group C with a match still to be contested.
For the round of 16, they will face a best third-place team from either Group A, B or F.
In the other match, Tunisia stay on 3 group points, with Uganda and Tanzania tied on one point each after registering a one-all draw in the day's other fixture.
The concluding pool fixtures will see the group leaders remain in the city to take on the Cranes on Tuesday, while Tunisia travel back to Rabat to face Tanzania.
A Nervy Conclusion
The Tunisian defender drilled home from 12 yards to give his team hope of snatching a point.
Nigeria, finalists in the 2023 tournament, are the next nation after the Pharaohs to reach the next phase, but coach Eric Chelle and supporters will certainly be breathing a sigh of relief.
What seemed set to be a straightforward final quarter morphed into a tense conclusion.
The prolific striker had a effort ruled out for an infringement before opening the scoring on the stroke of the interval, expertly guiding a header into the bottom corner from an Atalanta winger cross.
The lead was doubled soon in the second half when Wilfred Ndidi rose highest to thump in a powerful nod from a Lookman corner.
Osimhen then set up Lookman for the third goal, before Montassar Talbi to steer a header past the Nigerian shot-stopper to initiate the comeback.
The key moment came when a looping cross struck the forearm of the full-back, with referee Boubou Traore awarding a penalty after reviewing the VAR monitor.
Despite the defender's confident conversion, the 2004 champions ultimately came up just short of completing a stirring comeback.
Their fate remains in their own hands; 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 led to his departure.
