Victor Osimhen delivered a commanding performance as Nigeria’s Super Eagles clinched a place in the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage with a tense 3-2 victory over Tunisia on Saturday, surviving a dramatic late rally in their Group C showdown.
Nigeria appeared firmly in control after racing into a three-goal lead through Osimhen, captain Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman, only for Tunisia to mount a fierce comeback that rattled the three-time champions and set up a nervy finale in Fes.
Osimhen, wearing his trademark protective mask, was at the heart of Nigeria’s resurgence after a subdued opening match win over Tanzania. The Napoli forward repeatedly troubled the Tunisian defense in the air and opened the scoring just before halftime, rising above Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi to power home a header from Lookman’s cross.
The Super Eagles doubled their advantage early in the second half, again exploiting Tunisia’s vulnerability from set pieces. Lookman delivered another pinpoint corner, and Ndidi outjumped the defense to head past goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen for his first international goal.
Lookman capped his influential display in the 67th minute, converting from close range after being teed up by Osimhen, who had shrugged off defenders to create space in the penalty area.
Tunisia, however, refused to fold. Talbi sparked the comeback in the 74th minute by heading in a free kick from Hannibal Mejbri, injecting urgency into the contest. The Carthage Eagles pressed relentlessly and were rewarded again late on when a VAR review ruled that Bright Samuel had handled the ball in the area. Abdi calmly dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit to one.
The North Africans came agonizingly close to leveling in seven minutes of stoppage time, but captain Ferjani Sassi’s header drifted wide and substitute Ismael Gharbi fired narrowly off target, allowing Nigeria to escape with the points.
With the win, Nigeria moved to six points from two matches to become the second team, after Egypt, to reach the round of 16. Tunisia remained on three points, while Tanzania and Uganda each had one heading into the final round of group matches on Tuesday.
The encounter marked the seventh AFCON meeting between Nigeria and Tunisia, renewing one of the tournament’s most competitive rivalries. Nigeria now holds three wins in those clashes, compared with one for Tunisia, with two previous meetings decided on penalties.
Beyond the result, the match offered a clear signal of Nigeria’s attacking potential when Osimhen and Lookman are fully synchronized. After criticism for a lackluster showing in their opener, the Super Eagles played with greater tempo and physical authority, particularly in the first half, overwhelming Tunisia before nearly paying the price for defensive lapses late on.
For Tunisia, the spirited comeback highlighted both resilience and recurring defensive issues, especially in dealing with aerial threats—an area opponents may continue to target as the tournament progresses.
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