Duro Ikhazuagbe
Nigeria’s Super Eagles sealed their place in the Last 16 Round of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations last night with a lone goal win over hard-fighting Guinea-Bissau to finish as runner-up to Equatorial Guinea.
Both Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea finished the Group A matches on seven points each but the superior goals difference of the Nzalang Nacional gave them the edge to stay at the top.
Guinea-Bissau’s central defender, Opa Sangante gifted Nigeria the lone goal winner. His attempt to clear Moses Simon’s cross to Victor Osimhen ended in the Wild Dogs’ net in the 36th minute of the tension-soaked match inside the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in central Abidjan.
Eagles had a great chance to double the lead just before half-time as an unmarked Osimhen headed wide and threatened again two minutes into the second half when Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper, Jonas Mendes, smothered Simon’s shot.
Both teams had a goal each disallowed after consultations with the VAR.
Guinea-Bissau threatened in the final 10 minutes when Fali Cande’s free-kick took an awkward bounce, but Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali managed to push it wide before Nito Gomes headed wide from the resulting corner.
The late pressure almost paid off as a ferocious strike from Franculino Dju was ruled out for offside and Nigeria managed to see the game out.
However, the biggest upset of the evening was Equatorial Guinea’s 4-0 humiliation of hosts, Côte d’Ivoire. It is perhaps the biggest upset for a host nation in the history of the tournament.
The defeat has now put the Ivorians with just three points, at the mercy of the other Group matches till Wednesday to know if they can still squeeze into the knockout phase as one of the four best third placed teams.
RESULTS
E’Guinea 4-0 C’d’Ivoire
G’Bissau 0-1 Nigeria
Mo’bique 2-2 Ghana
C’Verde 2-2 Egypt
TODAY
Gambia v Cameroon
Guinea v Senegal
Angola v B’Faso
Mauritania v Algeria
FINAL GROUP A TABLE
TEAM P W D L GF GA GD Pts
E’Guinea 3 2 1 0 9 3 6 7
Nigeria 3 2 1 0 3 1 2 7
C’d’Ivoire 3 1 0 2 2 5 -3 3
G’Bissau 3 0 0 3. 2 7. -5. 0
FINAL GROUP B TABLE
TEAM P W D L GF GA GD Pts
C’Verde 3 2. 1. 0. 7. 3 4. 7
Egypt 3 0. 3. 0. 6. 6 0. 3
Ghana 3 0 2 1. 5 6. -1. 2
Mozambique 3 0 2. 1. 4. 7. -3. 2
GROUP C
TEAM P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Senegal 2. 2 0. 0 6. 1. 5. 6
Guinea 2 1 1. 0 2. 1 1. 4
Cameroon 2. 0. 1 1. 2 4. -2. 1
Gambia 2. 0 0 2 0. 4. -4. 0
