Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations knockout round after pipping Guinea Bissau 1-0 on Monday.
Nigeria finished in second place with seven points behind first-placed Equatorial Guinea who humiliated Ivory Coast 4-0 to wound up as group winners.
FT: Guinea Bissau 0-1 Nigeria
90′ 5 minutes added
Equatorial Guinea now lead Cote D’Ivoire 4-0 in the other game.
85′ Nwabali called to the rescue, punches the ball out for a corner kick.
84′ OFFSIDE: Zaidu Sanusi taps in from a loose ball but it is ruled out for offside.
82′ OFFSIDE: Guinea Bissau finds the back of the net but the goal is disallowed for offside.
79′ Guinea Bissau with a freekick saved by Nwabali.
77′ Ola Aina again finds Osimhen in the box but the Napoli striker’s header bounces inches away from goal.
Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea doubles their lead in the other game against host Cote D’Ivoire.
70′ FREE-KICK: Moses Simon lifts the ball into the box with Osimhen caught offside in an attempt to get at the end of the cross.
64′ Iwobi with a chance to double Nigeria’s lead but his attempt drifts away from goal.
62′ SUBSTITUTION: Frank Onyeka and Joe Aribo are out for Raphael Onyedika and Alex Iwobi
58′ Osimhen taps into an empty net but the referee rules for a handball.
54′ Osimhen connects to an Aina cross but his a header is inches away from goal.
52′ Guinea Bissau with almost a chance but the onrushing Nwabali was right on time to guide the ball to safety/
49′ Djurtus goes for a direct one off the free kick but the shot would be no danger for Nwabali.
47′ Frank Onyeka gets a Yellow Card after a rough challenge on Gomes. Free Kick for the Djurtus in the half of the Eagles.
45′ Second half underway
HT: Guinea Bissau 0-1 Nigeria, Meanwhile in the other group game holding simultaneously, Equatorial Guinea lead 1-0 at Half-Time.
45+3 Osimhen connects to a cross from Ola Aina but his header bounces away from goal for a goal kick for Guinea Bissau.
45+2′ Super Eagles with a couple of quick chances to get a second but ends in an infringement in favour of Guinea Bissau
45′ 4 minutes added.
35′ GOAL!!! Nigeria ahead with an own goal after Opa Sagante put the ball at the back of his own net.
30′ COOLING BREAK
21′ Guinea Bissau with a corner that is taken but the Nigeria’s defense averts any potential danger.
19′ Joe Aribo with a shot that is blocked by the Bissau-Guinean defense
16′ OFFSIDE: Another offside for Nigeria as Osimhen’s attempt at goal via a header sees the flag raised.
15′ OFFSIDE: Osayi-Samuel caught offside right in the box of Guinea-Bissau
11′ Famana Quizzera with a sloppy solo run that leaves with a chance to shoot at goal but his shot goes atop the goal post.
6′ Guinea Bissau with a long-range shot which is dealt calmly by Nwabali in goal for the Super Eagles
2′ Victor Osimhen with a shot that drifts wide. Nigeria on the front foot since the blast of the whistle.
1′ The game is underway at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be looking to seal qualification for the next round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when they square against the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau in their last game of the group stage.
Nigeria had started their AFCON campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea but bounced back strongly enough to defeat hosts Ivory Coast 1-0 to keep their hopes of qualification to the next round alive.
For Guinea Bissau, despite a slim chance of making it to the next round, the Djurtus will be looking to end their winless streak at the AFCON and would fancy their chances against the Super Eagles whom they defeated in the AFCON qualifiers in 2023.
Nigeria XI vs Guinea Bissau: Stanley Nwabali, Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Kenneth Omeruo, Semi Ajayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Joe Aribo, Frank Onyeka, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon Moses, Victor Osimhen
Vanguard