Nigeria edge Tunisia in 5-goal thriller to secure round of 16 spot
Nigeria edged Tunisia 3-2 in a thrilling AFCON 2025 Group C encounter.at the Fez Stadium in Fez with goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman proving decisive. Despite a late fightback from Tunisia, the Super Eagles held on to secure maximum points and top the group.
This win sends the Super Eagles into the Round of 16.
The match began with Nigeria asserting control through their midfield trio of Ndidi, Iwobi, and Onyeka. Tunisia sat deep, absorbing pressure and looking to counter. The breakthrough came in the 44th minute when Victor Osimhen finally opened his AFCON 2025 account, finishing clinically after a well-timed pass from Lookman. Nigeria went into halftime 1-0 up, having dominated possession and chances.
Nigeria doubled their lead just five minutes after the restart, with Wilfred Ndidi smashing home from the edge of the box. Tunisia looked rattled, and Nigeria capitalized further in the 67th minute when Ademola Lookman curled in a superb strike to make it 3-0. However, Tunisia refused to fold—Montassar Talbi pulled one back in the 74th minute, and Ali Abdi converted a penalty in the 87th to set up a nervy finale. Nigeria held firm to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Match Statistics
Nigeria’s dominance was reflected in the numbers:
| Stat | Nigeria | Tunisia |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 59.4% | 40.6% |
| Shots (on target) | 15 (5) | 8 (2) |
| Corners | 4 | 6 |
| Saves | 0 | 2 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 0 |
Coaches’ Reactions
Nigeria coach Eric Chelle praised his side’s attacking flair: “We showed our quality today. Osimhen, Ndidi, and Lookman were outstanding, but we must learn to close games better. At 3-0, we should not allow opponents back in.”
Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi remained defiant despite defeat: “We showed spirit to fight back. Nigeria punished our mistakes, but we proved we can score against anyone. We will regroup and push hard in the next match.”
Group C Standings
After this result, Nigeria moved top of Group C with six points from two matches, while Tunisia sit second with three points. Tanzania and Uganda remain winless.
| Position | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/- | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| 2 | Tunisia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Tanzania | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Uganda | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
Nigeria’s victory showcased their attacking depth, with Osimhen finally finding the net and Lookman continuing his fine form. Tunisia’s late rally highlighted their resilience, but defensive lapses cost them dearly. With Nigeria now firmly in control of Group C, Tunisia must win their final fixture against Tanzania to secure qualification, while Tanzania and Uganda face uphill battles to stay alive in the competition.
