Ademola Lookman’s second half winner gave Nigeria a 2-1 win over Tanzania in their first group game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Fes, reports www.aclsports.com reports.
After a period of earlier dominance, the Super Eagles went in front nine minutes to half time when defender Semi Ajayi headed home Alex Iwobi’s cross from close range.
The Taifa Stars quite surprisingly levelled matters five minutes after the break through Charles M’Mobwa
who spurned a badly set offside trap to finish beyond hapless Stanley Nwabali, in goal for Nigeria.
Three-times African champions, Nigeria were unruffled though and they went back in front almost immediately, with Lookman turning his marker before hitting home a left footed scorcher which nestled in the top corner.
First half dominance
As anticipated, Nigeria enjoyed dominance from all parts of the game in the first half with Fulham duo Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze in lively form in midfield while Lookman enjoyed a good time playing behind Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams in the 442 diamond shape against a compact Tanzania defence.
Nigeria’s first major sight of goal came when Chukwueze sliced a pass through to Adams but the striker’s effort from a tight angle was smothered by Zuberi Foba Masudi in what was the beginning of a busy evening for him.
From the resulting corner kick, Adams rose highest in the box to meet Lookman’s delivery but his header crashed onto the crossbar and to safety to give the Tanzanians respite. What followed was a couple of Osimhen attempts that came to nought.
The latter though resulted in the game’s opener. With Adams putting Osimhen through, the Galatasaray man rounded the goalkeeper and placed his effort on target but defender Bakari Mwamnyeto cleared off his line for a corner. The corner was worked short by Chukwueze who passed to his club mate Iwobi to send in Nigeria’s best cross of the night.
Tanzania equalised in the 50th minute against the run of play when a lofted pass from Novatus Miroshi caught the Nigerian defence ball watching and with M’Mobwa volleying home from just in front of the goalkeeper.
The response was instant from Nigeria with Iwobi involved once again. This time, his simple pass to Africa’s former best player Lookman saw the Atalanta man turn it to magic. Right at the edge of the box, he shimmied and dummied his marker before powering home a thunderous shot from 20 yards for his first goal for Nigeria in over a year.
Nigeria would then weather a late storm from the Tanzanians before holding on for the crucial three points before ahead of a second group game against the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, on Saturday.
Nigeria XI:
Nwabali; Osayi-Samuel, Ajayi, Bassey, Sanusi; Ndidi, Iwobi, Chukwueze (Simon 59’), Lookman; Adams (Dele-Bashiru 59’), Osimhen (Onuachu 86’).
