Nigeria secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Guinea-Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group A clash, earning them a spot in the round of 16.
The Super Eagles, led by captain Kenneth Omeruo, entered the match with confidence after a previous win against Ivory Coast, where William Troost-Ekong’s penalty proved decisive.
For this match, Omeruo captained the Nigerian side in place of Ekong, and Joe Aribo replaced Everton’s Alex Iwobi. Unfortunately, Alhassan Yusuf remained sidelined due to injury.
Guinea-Bissau, having claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win in a previous encounter, aimed for a repeat performance at the MKO Abiola Stadium.
Despite an early attempt by striker Victor Osimhen in the 5th minute, the shot went off target, posing little trouble for the opposition goalkeeper.
The Wild Dogs, however, maintained composure and gradually grew into the match. Nito attempted a long-range shot, but Stanley Nwabali made a comfortable save.
With a draw sufficient for Nigeria to advance, Guinea-Bissau sought to deny them that opportunity, dominating possession in the early exchanges. The Wild Dogs posed a challenge to the Nigerian defense, with Dalcio Gomes coming close to connecting with an overhead ball that beat Omeruo.
A stroke of luck favored Nigeria in the 37th minute when Opa Sangante inadvertently scored an own goal, attempting to stop Moses Simon’s cross meant for Osimhen. Despite a chance for Osimhen to double the lead before halftime, he couldn’t make contact with Simon’s cross.
The second half saw Simon missing a golden opportunity to make it two, with Mendes managing to claim the ball. In the 62nd minute, Osimhen thought he had scored, but VAR ruled him offside. In pursuit of a second goal, coach Jose Peseiro made changes, bringing in Alex Iwobi for Joe Aribo.
Nigeria finished as Group A runners-up with seven points, as Equatorial Guinea defeated hosts Cote D’Ivoire 4-0.
The Central Africans topped the group on a superior goal difference. Guinea-Bissau, already eliminated, had a goal ruled out at the other end. Despite being shock winners against Nigeria in qualifying, they finish with three defeats.
Now, Nigeria prepares for a last-16 tie on Saturday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium against the runners-up from Group C, which includes Senegal, Guinea, or Cameroon.
