By Ifeanyi Uwagwu
The Super Eagles of Nigeria yesterday began their 2025 African Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-1, victory over Tanzania in their Group C encounter in Fez, with goals from Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman proving enough to secure victory.
Playing their first official game after suffering a calamitous 2026 World Cup qualifying series , the Nigerians knew that only a win at would begin pacify their demanding fans who will hoping that they return home with the trophy.
In what was only their second meeting, Eric Chelle named an attacking side with talismanic Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams leading the line, flanked by mercurial Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman.
The Eagles showed their intent from the opening minutes looking to dominate the midfield with Alex Iwobi pulling the strings, while the East Africans were content to sit back and play on the break.
The Eagles had a flurry of chances, with Adams header coming off the crossbar and just minutes after the half-hour mark Osimhen’s strike was cleared off the goal line for a corner kick, after he rounded the keeper following a brilliant team move started by Calvin Bassey.
However, Ajayi made Nigerians forget the miss moments later as he rose highest to meet an Iwobi inswinging cross into the Tanzania box, leaving the goalkeeper stranded from the resulting corner kick as the heavens opened at the Fez sports complex.
The Eagles had their tails up and Chukweze almost added another, forcing a save from the Tanzania Goalie after the he parried Ndidi’s pile driver into the Fulham attacker’s path, as the half came to an end.
Seconds after resumption Osimhen had the ball in the back of the Tanzanian goal after a brilliant work by his strike partner, Adams, but the flag went up for offside and the call was validated by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Minutes later Tanzania had the ball in the Nigerian net following a sweeping team move that caught the Nigerian defence off guard with intelligent switches. Tanzania broke away at speed on the right, switched the ball across the passive Nigerian defence before Miroshi put a superb cross over the defence to the onrushing M’Mombwa to side foot beyond Nwabali into the bottom left-hand corner.
Tanzania’s joy of an equalizer was short lived as Ademola Lookman put Nigeria back in front within minutes with an exquisite strike with his left foot courtesy of another Iwobi assist.
Provider Iwobi had the opportunity to register his name on the scoresheet but blazed his chance agonizingly high after a brilliant work by substitute Moses Simon.
Tanzania caused a the Eagles another scare with three minutes left of regulation time as they almost capitalized on a lack of communication between Nwabili and Bassey following another asymmetric attack by the East Africans, but the Eagles held on to become the third side to record a 2-1 win, before their next meeting with North Africans, Tunisia.
