Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has conceded that Nigeria still have work to do in managing matches, even after opening their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 campaign with a 2–1 win over Tanzania on Tuesday.
Nigeria claimed all three points from a keenly contested Group C fixture, but Chelle acknowledged that the team’s second-half display exposed areas that must be improved as the tournament progresses.
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“We are happy with the three points — that is the priority,” Chelle said after the game. “There were positives, especially in the first half, but the second half showed we still need to improve, particularly in how we kill off games. We know this, and we will work on it.”
The Super Eagles enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and imposed themselves for much of the first half.
Their pressure paid off shortly before the break when Semi Ajayi powered home a header from an Alex Iwobi corner to give Nigeria a deserved lead at half-time.
Nigeria thought they had doubled their advantage moments after the restart through Victor Osimhen, but celebrations were cut short after a VAR check ruled the striker offside.
That setback gave Tanzania renewed belief, and the Taifa Stars made Nigeria pay when Novatus Dismas threaded a precise pass through the defence for Charles M’Mbowa, who calmly finished past Stanley Nwabali to draw level.
The response from Nigeria was swift and decisive. Just a minute later, Ademola Lookman curled a brilliant strike into the net from outside the box, restoring the Super Eagles’ lead and reasserting control.
From then on, Nigeria focused on game management, circulating the ball and limiting Tanzania’s attacking threat.
Although the Taifa Stars pushed for another equaliser late on — with Ibrahim Hamad firing over from a corner — the Super Eagles held firm to secure an important opening victory.
Nigeria will face Tunisia next on December 27 in Fes.
The Carthage Eagles currently sit top of Group C following a 3–1 win over Uganda, setting up a potentially crucial showdown in the race for group supremacy.
