There was a lot of late nerves, actions and goals as Nigeria’s Super Eagles edge Tunisia to Reach AFCON 2025 Round of 16, after a pulsating 3–2 victory Group C clash, on Saturday night.
The Super Eagles appeared to be cruising after racing into a commanding three-goal lead, only for a spirited late comeback from the Carthage Eagles to turn the contest into a tense finale.
In the end, Nigeria’s composure, game management and attacking quality proved decisive, as they claimed a second successive win, moved to six points, and climbed to the top of Group C.
Nigeria in Control Before Late Tunisian Fightback
For large spells of the encounter, Nigeria dominated proceedings with high tempo, sharp ball circulation and aggressive pressing.
Their authority on the game translated into goals and control, putting Tunisia firmly on the back foot.
However, a late surge from the North Africans caused by renewed intensity and belief, reduced Nigeria’s advantage and ensured a nervy finish.
The Super Eagles, however, held firm to see out the result and confirm their place in the knockout stage with a game to spare.
Post-Match Reactions
Following the victory, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and Man of the Match Ademola Lookman shared their thoughts on the performance, the lessons learned, and the team’s progress at the tournament.
Ademola Lookman – Man of the Match
The Nigeria forward, who scored and delivered another influential display, shared the importance of results, highlighting his growing understanding with Victor Osimhen.
“We are pleased with the performance today – three points on board, that is most important. We take the positives and carry on,” Lookman said.
“Victor is a good striker and we have a good relationship and make the most of that. Anywhere I can help the team I do.”
“I now play closer to goal, which gives me more chance to hurt the opponent and I am happy with that.”
Eric Chelle – Super Eagles Head Coach
Nigeria’s head coach was also satisfied with his team’s intensity and overall control, while admitting there is still room for improvement.
“I’m happy, once again, with the intensity we showed for 75 minutes. I’m pleased with how we recovered the ball both very high up the pitch and very deep,” Chelle said.
“We were able to move forward quickly, but also to keep possession for long periods of the game. We created a lot of chances and opportunities to score.”
Reflecting on the latter stages of the contest, he added:
“In the second half, up until the 75th minute, we deserved this victory. We deserved it because we were the better team. After that, Tunisia played with the energy that characterizes them.”
“Their first goal came from a set piece, and the second from a moment of play, but once again, we deserved this win, and I think we were the better team in every area of the game.”
“Of course, it would be nice to finish a match without having to suffer so much.”
With qualification already secured, Nigeria can now approach their final Group C fixture with confidence, while still looking to sharpen their performance ahead of the knockout rounds.
The Super eagles of Nigeria will play their final group match against Uganda in Fès next Tuesday, 30th of December, as they look to build on their strong start, address late-game lapses in their push toward a fourth AFCON title in Morocco.
