Nigeria booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 Round of 16 after a dramatic 3–2 victory over Tunisia in a pulsating Group C encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The Super Eagles struck first just before half-time when Victor Osimhen rose highest to power home a clinical header in the 45th minute, giving Nigeria a deserved lead heading into the break.
Momentum stayed firmly with Nigeria after the restart, as Wilfred Ndidi doubled the advantage in the 50th minute with a stunning strike from midfield. Ademola Lookman then appeared to put the game beyond reach in the 67th minute, calmly finishing to make it 3–0.
However, Tunisia refused to go quietly. Montassar Talbi pulled one back in the 74th minute, injecting renewed belief into the Carthage Eagles’ camp.
The tension escalated further when Ali Abdi converted a penalty in the 87th minute, setting up a nervy finish.
Despite late pressure from Tunisia, Nigeria showed resilience and composure to see out the contest, with their early dominance ultimately proving decisive.
The result confirms Nigeria’s progression to the knockout stage of the tournament in Morocco with six points after two gams, capping off a rollercoaster performance that showcased both attacking quality and mental toughness from the Super Eagles.
They will wrap Group C against Ugandan on December 30.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
