…Hosts, Ivory Coast’s Fate Hangs In The Balance After a Humiliating 4-0 Defeat By E’Guinea
By Ken Afor
Nigeria secured their place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) round of 16 with a 1-0 win on Monday, courtesy of an own goal by Guinea-Bissau’s Opa Sangante in the first half.
This victory propelled Nigeria to second place in Group A.
Moses Simon provided a precise low cross from the left flank, targeting Victor Osimhen.
However, Sangante’s clearance attempt in front of the striker in the 36th minute led to an unfortunate own goal, as he inadvertently directed the ball into the top of his own net.
Nigeria concluded their campaign with seven points from three games, securing second place behind the unexpected standout, Equatorial Guinea, solely based on goal difference.
Meanwhile, the hosts, Ivory Coast, face uncertainty as they await their fate, hoping to progress as one of the best third-place finishers. With three points and a negative three-goal difference, their advancement remains uncertain.
Despite Nigeria’s dominance, poor finishing added tension to the game. Osimhen missed several chances to secure three points earlier, and both teams had late goals correctly ruled out for offside.
While Nigeria can find satisfaction in securing back-to-back wins, there’s acknowledgment of a lackluster start in their pool opener against Equatorial Guinea. Coach Jose Peseiro faces the task of ensuring the team fires on all cylinders.
Despite boasting one of the tournament’s strongest attacks on paper, Nigeria’s performance has been underwhelming, with only three goals scored in as many games. The match against Guinea-Bissau highlighted struggles, notably wastefulness in front of goal and occasional lack of cohesion in the final third.
Nigeria had been striving to create distinct opportunities until Sangante’s own goal presented a fortunate turn of events. However, Osimhen missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 with a header wide of the post.
In the beginning of the second half, Simon had a golden chance to extend the lead, but he couldn’t outmaneuver Guinea-Bissau’s goalkeeper Jonas Mendes, and the shot was saved at his feet.
Osimhen’s goal was disallowed for using his arm to control the ball before scoring from close range. Despite this setback, he had another opportunity to extend the lead but unfortunately missed a great headed chance on a challenging night.
