Nigeria put on an impressive display of attacking prowess but had to hang on in the end for a narrow 3-2 win against Tunisia, becoming the second team to make sure of a place in the last 16.
Victor Osimhen netted the opener a minute before half-time, and Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman scored after the break. But Tunisia staged a late comeback with goals from the defenders Montassar Talbi and Ali Abdi that set up a frenetic finish.
It was Nigeria’s second win in Group C and ensures they will top the standings, even with one first-round fixture still to play. Their six-point haul is three more than second-placed Tunisia, with Tanzania and Uganda on one point each.
Osimhen had a series of narrow misses from as early as the eighth minute as Nigeria came out of the starting blocks swarming all over Tunisia. But it took until the 44th minute for the striker, wearing his customary mask to protect his cheekbone, to score as he rose at the back post to head home Lookman’s cross.
Nigeria were 2-0 up five minutes into the second half when Ndidi soared high above the Tunisian defence to score from a corner. Osimhen turned provider for Nigeria’s third in the 67th minute, dragging the ball into the path of Lookman, who looked initially to have spurned a good opportunity but after hesitating was still able to get a shot away and the ball went in off the post.
Tunisia pulled their first goal back in the 74th minute when Hannibal Mejbri’s free-kick was met by Talbi and the error-prone Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali slipped in his efforts to stop it.
Tunisia won a fortunate penalty with five minutes left as the ball hit Bright Osayi-Samuel’s hand as he was trying to head clear. The spot-kick was thrashed home by Abdi, setting up a late surge from Tunisia with Ferjani Sassi’s header deep in stoppage time inches away from a dramatic equaliser.
Egypt became the first team into the last 16 on Friday when they beat South Africa 1-0 to make sure of top place in Group B. Nigeria stay in Fes for the last group game on Tuesday against Uganda, while Tanzania and Tunisia clash at the same time in Rabat.
Uche Ikpeazu scored a late equaliser before his teammate Allan Okello missed a penalty as Uganda had to settle for a 1-1 draw with their east African rivals Tanzania in their Group C game in Rabat. It is a first point for both sides in their pool after they opened their 2025 campaign with defeats by Tunisia and Nigeria respectively.
Tanzania took the lead in the 59th minute when Simon Msuva converted a penalty after a handball in the box, but they were to be denied a first-ever win at the continental finals at the 11th attempt. Ikpeazu’s diving header drew Uganda level, before they were awarded a penalty and the chance to win it late on, only for the talisman Okello to put his spot kick over the crossbar.
There was a familiar feel to the contest between two longstanding regional rivals, though this was their first meeting at the Cup of Nations. Uganda came close to the opener when Rogers Mato’s header came back off the crossbar inside 15 minutes, but the game really came to life in the second half.
Tanzania were awarded a penalty when Alphonce Msanga’s shot from outside the box struck the arm of the Uganda midfielder Baba Alhassan, which was deemed to be in an unnatural position. Msuva stepped up to take the spot-kick and fired it into the roof of the net.
But Tanzania could not see the game out and were denied a maiden Cup of Nations finals win when Ikpeazu stooped to head in Denis Omedi’s cross from the right. The Moroccan referee, Jalal Jayed, then awarded Uganda a penalty after a tug on the shirt of James Bogere by Haji Mnoga. Okello is known as Star Boy in his homeland, such is his talent, but fluffed his lines on this occasion as he sent his spot-kick over the bar.
Sadio Mané scored for Senegal as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Saturday and keep top place in Group D. Cédric Bakambu put DRC into the lead in the 61st minute, but Mané equalised eight minutes later with his 51st goal for his country, one of the favourites to win the tournament.
The match was cagey at times with both sides careful in their approach, although Nicolas Jackson had a couple of first-half chances for Senegal, coming close with short-range efforts.
The DRC defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka had the ball in the net midway through the first half but it was offside. They took the lead, however, with a sweeping move forward, with Théo Bongonda combining with Wan-Bissaka before firing a shot that Édouard Mendy could only parry into the path of Bakambu, who finished from close range.
Senegal’s 17-year-old substitute Ibrahim Mbaye set up the equaliser for Mane with a mazy run, although he profited from the DRC defender Arthur Masuaku suddenly stopping with a suspected achilles tendon injury. Mbaye’s shot was stopped by the goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi but fell for Mané to sweep home.
The two sides have four points from their opening two games and look set to progress into the last 16 with their final group games on Tuesday. Senegal are ahead of DRC on goal difference after they beat Botswana 3-0 in their opening fixture while DRC edged past Benin 1-0.
Yohan Roche scored a deflected winner as Benin claimed a first-ever victory at the Africa Cup of Nations finals with a 1-0 Group D success against Botswana in Rabat. Benin took the lead in the 28th minute when Roche played a one-two in the box with his captain, Steve Mounie, and his shot from 10 yards took a deflection off a defender and into the net.
The top two teams in each pool, as well as the four best third-placed sides from the six groups, qualify for the round of 16.