Arokodare double lifts Nigeria past Tanzania in crucial AFCON qualifier

Nigeria moved onto six points in Group L after Tolu Arokodare came off the bench to score twice in an important 3-1 victory over Tanzania in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo.

Alhassan Yusuf gave the Super Eagles an early lead at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Friday, finishing after Ademola Lookman had helped create the opening during a strong start by the hosts.

Tanzania responded on 32 minutes when Alphonce Msanga equalised, leaving Nigeria facing a tense contest at half-time.

Eric Chelle’s side changed the game after the interval. Arokodare was introduced at the break and struck in the 52nd minute before adding a second eight minutes later to put Nigeria in control.

One of the Ajax striker’s goals followed a delivery from fellow substitute Moses Usor, highlighting the impact of Chelle’s changes. Arokodare’s performance was particularly important with Victor Osimhen absent, as he converted his opportunities to turn a closely fought match into a convincing home win.

Moses Simon also played a key role after replacing Lookman shortly before half-time. His pace, width and attacking energy stretched Tanzania’s defence and helped create the conditions for Nigeria’s second-half dominance.

Lookman’s substitution was one of the main concerns for the Super Eagles. The Atletico Madrid forward went down late in the first half without apparent contact, received treatment and left the field limping.

That raised concerns about a possible muscular problem, with Nigeria due to face Tanzania again in Zanzibar on Tuesday, 17 November. His fitness will be monitored closely, particularly with Osimhen already unavailable.

The result was achieved in front of a notably sparse crowd at the “Nest of Champions”. Large sections of the stadium remained empty, despite tickets still being available shortly before kick-off and limited mobilisation ahead of the match.

The low attendance was evident as Nigeria built their lead and added to concerns about support for home qualifiers. The Nigeria Football Federation will hope to address the issue in future matches.

Nigeria’s six points from three games keep them firmly in contention for the sole remaining qualification place in Group L. Tanzania are already guaranteed a place at the 2027 finals as co-hosts, but offered determined resistance before Nigeria’s substitutes changed the contest.

The return fixture in Zanzibar now gives the Super Eagles an opportunity to collect another important result and reduce the gap on group leaders Guinea-Bissau.

Arokodare’s finishing and Simon’s introduction provided Nigeria with the decisive spark. Chelle’s team will travel for the second leg with renewed confidence after recovering from the setback of conceding an equaliser and producing a strong response after half-time.