Nigeria Triumphs 3-2 Over Tunisia, Osimhen Shines in AFCON Clash

Post by : Mina Rahman

In a breath-taking showdown, Nigeria edged Tunisia 3-2, with Victor Osimhen delivering an electrifying performance to ensure his team’s progression to the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage, joining Egypt. The Group C match, held in Fes, was intense, marked by a late surge from Tunisia that tested Nigeria's defense.

For much of the game, Nigeria showcased dominance, taking a 3-0 lead with goals from Osimhen, captain Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman. This was a stark contrast to their earlier narrow win against Tanzania.

Osimhen, sporting his signature protective mask, was a relentless threat in the air. He narrowly missed twice with headers and had a goal disallowed for offside. Tunisia found it difficult to match the Super Eagles' physical play, especially in the first half.

The opening goal came just before the halftime whistle as Lookman’s cross was converted by Osimhen with a powerful header, giving Nigeria a much-deserved lead.

Shortly after the restart, Nigeria stretched their lead. Lookman again turned provider, delivering a corner that Ndidi met with a robust header, marking his inaugural international goal.

The third goal followed in the 67th minute, with Osimhen assisting Lookman, who controlled the ball expertly before scoring off the post into the net.

Despite the odds, Tunisia staged a late-game comeback, starting with Montassar Talbi’s header from a free-kick 16 minutes from time, igniting hope within their ranks. The situation intensified when Ali Abdi netted a penalty after a VAR decision for a Nigerian handball.

In a dramatic seven minutes of stoppage time, Tunisia sought an equalizer. Captain Ferjani Sassi missed with a header, and substitute Ismael Gharbi just fired wide in the last moments. Nigeria managed to hold on for the win.

Consequently, Nigeria stands at the top of Group C with six points, while Tunisia remains with three. Uganda and Tanzania sit at one point each, heading into decisive final group matches.

Earlier, Uganda and Tanzania locked horns in a gripping 1-1 draw, where Uganda missed a last-minute penalty that could have sealed their fate.