Nigeria Secure Afcon Knockout Spot In Spite of Late Tunisia Fightback
Former African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen helped his team establish a 3-0 advantage, before they were compelled to hold on for a narrow win.
The three-time champions weathered a dramatic comeback attempt from their opponents to progress to the knockout stage of the Afcon tournament taking place in Morocco.
Jose Peseiro's side seemed to be in complete control in their pool encounter in the Moroccan city, holding a three-goal cushion with just 17 minutes left courtesy of goals from their attacking trio.
Yet, Montassar Talbi pulled one back with a close-range finish from a Manchester United midfielder set-piece, igniting hopes of a recovery.
The drama escalated when Tunisia were given a spot-kick after a video assistant referee check identified a handball by Bright Osayi-Samuel. The left-back converted in the dying stages to set up a frantic finale.
Tunisia came agonizingly close from a stunning leveler in stoppage time, with their skipper heading a opportunity narrowly wide before a substitute guided a half-volley wide of the goal frame.
Clinching First Place
The victory ensures that the Super Eagles, champions of the tournament on three previous occasions, advance to 6 points and are guaranteed first place in Group C with one game left to play.
In the next round, they will face a third-placed team from one of the other preliminary groups.
Meanwhile, Tunisia remain on three points, with Uganda and Tanzania locked on a single point after playing out a 1-1 draw in the day's other fixture.
The concluding group fixtures will see Nigeria remain in Fes to play Uganda on the next matchday, while Tunisia travel back to Rabat to confront the Taifa Stars.
An Anxious Finish
Ali Abdi smashed home from the penalty spot to give Tunisia a glimmer of hope of earning a draw.
The Super Eagles, runners-up in the 2023 edition, are the next team after Egypt to reach the next phase, but their manager and fans will certainly be feeling relieved.
What seemed set to be a comfortable last period transformed into a tense affair.
The prolific striker had a goal ruled out for an infringement before breaking the deadlock on the stroke of the interval, precisely placing a glancing effort into the bottom corner from an Ademola Lookman cross.
The lead was doubled early in the second half when Wilfred Ndidi rose highest to thump in a header from a Lookman kick.
The number 9 then set up his teammate for the third goal, only for Montassar Talbi to direct a powerful header past goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali to begin the comeback.
The key incident came when a looping cross hit the forearm of the full-back, with referee Boubou Traore awarding a penalty after consulting the VAR monitor.
Although Ali Abdi's confident conversion, the 2004 champions ultimately fell short of pulling off a stirring recovery.
Tunisia's destiny is still in their own hands; a point against Tunisia will be sufficient to secure progression, and their coach will be eager to avoid a repeat of the 2013 group-stage exit that resulted in his previous resignation.
