Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea 1-1
Victor Osimhen made an impact with a first-half equalizer, but Nigeria faced frustration as they were held to a 1-1 draw in their opening Africa Cup of Nations Group A match against Equatorial Guinea in Abidjan on Sunday. Despite dominating play and creating numerous opportunities, Nigeria couldn’t convert their pressure into a victory.
Equatorial Guinea surprised Nigeria by taking the lead with a well-worked goal from Iban Salvador, exploiting some hesitant defending. However, Napoli forward Osimhen quickly responded, heading Nigeria level just two minutes later after a precise cross from winger Ademola Lookman.
The Super Eagles continued to control the game, but Equatorial Guinea’s goalkeeper, Jesus Owono, made crucial saves, complemented by Nigeria’s occasional poor finishing. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, leaving Nigeria with the feeling of two points dropped.
Next up, Nigeria faces a crucial encounter against hosts Ivory Coast on Thursday. Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, will meet Guinea-Bissau in their next match, following a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in the tournament’s opening game.
The game started slowly but gained momentum with two goals in as many minutes towards the end of the first half. Nigeria had multiple chances, with Zaidu missing an open goal and Moses Simon’s shot forcing a good save from Equatorial Guinea’s goalkeeper. However, the Super Eagles couldn’t secure the win, leading to disappointment after recent criticisms following 1-1 draws in the World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in November.
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