Nigeria’s Super Eagles are through to the last of 16 of the ongoing delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire following a 1-0 win over Guinea Bissau in their final Group A match yesterday.
Opa Sangante diverted Moses Simon’s dangerous cross into his own net to give Nigeria a first half lead in the 37th minute of the encounter.
Moses Simon’s cross from the left wing into the box was heading to Osimhen at the back post, forcing Sangante to have to get a touch, and he diverted the ball past his own keeper.
There was a slight suggestion that the ball could have gone out of play during that move, but VAR are satisfied and the goal stands.
Nigeria had a great chance to double their lead when Moses Simon was sent through on goal just two minutes into the second-half but goalkeeper Jonas Mendes did a great job in getting low to stop the winger. Seconds later, Mendes came rushing out to prevent Victor Osimhen from getting onto the ball and causing some trouble.
Nigeria kept knocking at the door and shortly after Osimhen saw a difficult header just missed the target. The Napoli star fired in his team’s second goal but it was ruled out by the referee. Osimhen had another chance to score when Ola Aina whipped in a great cross but the forward’s header went wide again.
Guinea-Bissau thought they had pulled level late on through Franculino Dju but the assistant’s flag denied him. Nigeria responded by lashing in another goal but it was also disallowed and the Super Eagles held out for the 1-0 win.
Nigeria finished on seven points from three games, behind surprise package Equatorial Guinea on goal difference.
Hosts Ivory Coast face an anxious wait to see if they will advance as one of the best third-place finishers with three points and a minus three goal difference.
Equatorial Guinea inflicted Cote d’Ivoire’s heaviest defeat on home soil following their 4-0 win at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe yesterday. The victory saw Nzalang Nacional top Group A.
The hosts are sweating on qualification after finishing third in Group A. The four best third-placed sides across the six groups progress to the last 16.
Ibrahim Sangare twice had equalisers ruled out for the Ivorians when they were only a goal behind, but the Elephants wasted a host of chances and were made to pay by their clinical opposition.
Some Ivorian players were in tears at the final whistle as they were loudly booed off by an angry partisan crowd at Alassane Ouattara Stadium after one of the biggest surprises in AFCON in history.
The hosts got the game off to a bright start and held most of the ball during the first 10 minutes. As the dust settled at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe, Ivory Coast began playing more constructively which pushed Equatorial Guinea on the edge of their own box.
Equatorial Guinea attacked in sporadic moments and looked to hit the home team on the break at every chance. Nevertheless, the Ivorian’s energy appeared to have been a problem for their counterparts.
Nicolas Pepe was afforded the chance of the first-half in the 29th minute after finding himself one-on-one with Jesus Owono in goal. In an attempt to round the goalkeeper, Owono did well to read the situation before intercepting the ball.
However, it was Equatorial Guinea who broke the deadlock in the 41st minute as Emilio Nsue got his name on the scoresheet. Carlos Akapo caught the Ivorian defence napping with a darting run into the area and subsequently picked out Nsue who guided the ball home with a calm finish.
The Elephants thought they had levelled matters moments before halftime after Ibrahim Sangaré found the back of the net. However, the VAR officials spotted the midfielder in an offside position.
Ivory Coast oversaw a positive start to the second-half and created a couple of goalscoring chances in the process. Owono kept his side in the game with a fine save soon before the hour mark after Christian Kouamé found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Second-half substitute Jean-Philippe Krasso found the back of the net in the 66th minute, which sent the Ivorian fans in a state of elation. However, their celebrations were cut short after the VAR officials spotted the attacker in an offside position.
In a moment that stunned supporters at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe, Pablo Ganet doubled his nation’s advantage with a stunning free-kick effort in the 73rd minute. Then, Equatorial Guinea took advantage of a dejected Ivory Coast outfit two minutes later as Nsue capped off a swift counter-attacking move en-route to goal.
After yet another damaging transitional move toward the end of the game, Jannick Buyla added Equatorial Guinea’s fourth in the 88th minute.
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