Nigeria Secure Afcon Last 16 Place Despite Fierce Carthage Eagles Comeback
Former African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen helped his team establish a 3-0 advantage, but the Super Eagles were forced to defend resolutely for a hard-fought win.
Nigeria weathered a stunning late rally from their opponents to progress to the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Morocco.
Jose Peseiro's side seemed to be cruising in their pool clash in Fes, holding a 3-0 cushion with only a quarter of an hour left thanks to goals from their attacking trio.
However, Montassar Talbi pulled one back with a powerful header from a Hannibal Mejbri free-kick, igniting hopes of a turnaround.
The tension intensified when Tunisia were awarded a late penalty after a VAR review identified a handling offense by Bright Osayi-Samuel. Ali Abdi converted in the dying stages to set up a nail-biting conclusion.
Tunisia were inches away from a last-gasp leveler in stoppage time, with their skipper directing a chance narrowly wide before Ismael Gharbi sent a bobbling volley wide of the goal frame.
Clinching First Place
This result means that Nigeria, winners of the tournament on three past instances, advance to 6 points and are guaranteed top spot in Group C with a match left to play.
In the next round, they will face a best third-place team from one of Group A, B or F.
In the other match, Tunisia remain on 3 points, with Uganda and Tanzania tied on a single point each after playing out a one-all stalemate in the day's other fixture.
The concluding pool fixtures will see the group leaders stay in the city to play Uganda on the next matchday, while the Eagles of Carthage return to the capital to confront Tanzania.
An Anxious Conclusion
Ali Abdi smashed home from 12 yards to give Tunisia hope of snatching a draw.
Nigeria, runners-up in the 2023 tournament, are the next team after Egypt to qualify for the next phase, but coach Eric Chelle and fans will certainly be breathing a sigh of relief.
What seemed set to be a comfortable last period transformed into a tense affair.
Victor Osimhen had a effort disallowed for an infringement before opening the scoring right before half-time, expertly guiding a glancing effort into the bottom corner from an Ademola Lookman cross.
The lead was doubled soon in the second period when the Leicester City midfielder climbed above everyone to power home a header from a Lookman corner.
Osimhen then turned provider Lookman for the seemingly decisive goal, before Montassar Talbi to direct a header past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to initiate the comeback.
The key moment arrived when a looping cross hit the arm of the full-back, with the official awarding a penalty after consulting the VAR monitor.
Despite the defender's confident conversion, Tunisia ultimately came up just short of completing a stirring recovery.
Tunisia's destiny is still in their control; a draw against Tunisia will be enough to secure progression, and manager Sami Trabelsi will be eager to avoid a recurrence of the 2013 early elimination that resulted in his previous resignation.
