Super Eagles Soar into AFCON Knockouts After Five-Goal Thriller
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have officially booked their place in the Round of 16 at AFCON 2025 following a breathtaking 3-2 victory over Tunisia at the Fez Stadium. In what many are already calling the match of the tournament, the three-time champions nearly threw away a commanding three-goal lead before holding off a frantic late surge from the Carthage Eagles.
The victory ensures Nigeria sits comfortably at the top of Group C with six points, making them the second team to qualify for the knockout stages after Egypt.2
Osimhen Breaks the Deadlock
Nigeria began the match with an intensity that Tunisia struggled to match. Victor Osimhen, eager to end a mini-goal drought, was the focal point of every attack. After having an early effort ruled out for offside, the Galatasaray talisman finally made his mark in the 44th minute. Rising highest at the back post, Osimhen met a perfectly weighted cross from Ademola Lookman to head the ball past Aymen Dahmen, sending the Nigerian supporters into a frenzy just before the interval.
Dominance and a Three-Goal Cushion
The Super Eagles carried that momentum into the second half, doubling their lead only five minutes after the restart. It was Lookman again providing the service, this time from a corner, allowing captain Wilfred Ndidi to soar above the defense and power home a header for his first-ever international goal.
The match appeared to be over as a contest in the 67th minute. Osimhen turned provider, dragging the Tunisian defense out of position before teeing up Ademola Lookman. The Atalanta star showed great composure, taking a touch before drilling a low shot off the post and into the net to make it 3-0.
The Tunisian Fightback
With twenty minutes remaining, Tunisia looked defeated, but a tactical shift ignited a stunning comeback attempt. In the 74th minute, a pinpoint free-kick from Hannibal Mejbri found Montassar Talbi, whose glancing header caught Stanley Nwabali off-guard to pull one back.
The tension reached a breaking point in the 87th minute when a VAR review penalized Bright Osayi-Samuel for a handball in the area. Ali Abdi stepped up and hammered the resulting penalty into the top corner, setting up a localized storm of pressure. Nigeria was forced to defend with every man behind the ball during seven minutes of stoppage time, surviving a heart-in-mouth moment when Ferjani Sassi’s header whistled inches wide of the post.
Group C Implications
Nigeria’s perfect start to the campaign means they have secured the top spot in the group regardless of their final result against Uganda. Tunisia, despite the loss, remains in second place with three points and will look to secure their own qualification in their final match against Tanzania on December 30.
“We played with fire toward the end, but the character of this team is undeniable,” coach Jose Peseiro remarked after the match. “We dominated for 70 minutes, and while we must learn to close games better, the primary goal of qualification has been achieved.”
