The Super Eagles Secure Afcon Knockout Place Despite Late Tunisia Comeback
Ex- Continent's Best Player of the Year the Napoli star helped his team build a 3-0 advantage, but the Super Eagles were compelled to defend resolutely for a hard-fought win.
The three-time champions survived a dramatic comeback attempt from Tunisia to progress to the last 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Morocco.
Jose Peseiro's side seemed to be in complete control in their pool clash in the Moroccan city, holding a three-goal lead with only a quarter of an hour left thanks to goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman.
However, a Tunisian defender reduced the deficit with a powerful header from a Manchester United midfielder free-kick, igniting hopes of a recovery.
The tension escalated when the North Africans were awarded a spot-kick after a video assistant referee review spotted a handball by Bright Osayi-Samuel. Ali Abdi converted in the dying stages to create a frantic finale.
Tunisia came agonizingly close from a last-gasp equalizer in stoppage time, with their skipper directing a opportunity just past the post before a substitute sent a bobbling volley past the goal frame.
Clinching First Place
The victory means that the Super Eagles, champions of the competition on three past instances, move to six group points and are guaranteed first place in Group C with one game still to play.
In the next round, they will meet a third-placed team from one of the other preliminary groups.
Meanwhile, Tunisia remain on three points, with Uganda and Tanzania tied on a single point each after registering a one-all draw in the day's other fixture.
The concluding pool fixtures will see the group leaders stay in the city to take on the Cranes on Tuesday, while Tunisia return to the capital to confront Tanzania.
An Anxious Finish
Ali Abdi drilled the ball from the penalty spot to offer Tunisia hope of snatching a draw.
The Super Eagles, runners-up in the 2023 tournament, are the next team after Egypt to qualify for the knockout stage, but their manager and fans will undoubtedly be feeling relieved.
What seemed set to be a straightforward last period transformed into a nerve-wracking conclusion.
The prolific striker had a goal disallowed for offside before breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, precisely placing a glancing effort into the bottom corner from an Atalanta winger delivery.
The lead was doubled early in the second period when the Leicester City midfielder climbed above everyone to power home a header from a set-piece kick.
Osimhen then turned provider Lookman for the third goal, before the defender to steer a header past the Nigerian shot-stopper to begin the comeback.
The pivotal moment came when a high ball hit the arm of the full-back, with the official pointing to the spot after reviewing the VAR monitor.
Despite the defender'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 draw against Tunisia will be enough to secure progression, and manager Sami Trabelsi will be eager to prevent a recurrence of the past group-stage exit that resulted in his departure.
