A 44th-minute header by Victor Osimhen was the major talking point on Saturday night, as the Super Eagles defeated Tunisia 3-2 at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Sports247 reports that Osimhen seemed to point an accusing finger at critics and allowed his emotions spill over, as he agitatedly celebrated what appeared to be a jinx breaking goal close to the half-time whistle in Fes.
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Indeed, the goal was truly deserving huge celebrations, as Osimhen earlier had two of his bullet headers miss target by the whiskers and then got the ball into the net, only to see it ruled out for offside.
That inadvertently brought back memories of how he had three of such efforts ruled out during the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire as well as another one chunked off in Nigeria’s opening group 2-1 defeat of Tanzania this past Tuesday.
That meant the Galatasaray of Turkey hitman already had five AFCON goals cancelled altogether, while having scored only one in nine appearances at the African soccer showpiece.
However, when it looked like the jinx would continue for the second straight game at AFCON 2025, Osimhen finally got on to a sumptuous cross from the left by Ademola Lookman to romp home yet another header and put Nigeria one-up.
The going got even better for Nigeria in the second half, as Eagles’ new captain, Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi also powered home a header from Lookman’s corner kick just five minutes after the restart.
Osimhen then turned provider in the 66th minute for man of the match Lookman to hit home a low shot from just inside the box, which ricocheted into the net off the chest of Tunisia’s goalkeeper for Nigeria’s third goal on the night.
Although Tunisia pulled two back – first in the 75th minute and then an 86th minute penalty – while roared on fervently by a partisan North African crowd in the arena, the Super Eagles held on gallantly with a well-
orchestrated patient approach that kept them in control of the game till the end.
The result means Nigeria go top of Group C, ahead of their last first round game at the same venue on Tuesday, versus Uganda, who played out a come from behind 1-1 draw with Tanzania earlier on Saturday.
