Nigeria 3-2 Tunisia: Super Eagles hold on in five-goal thriller to reach AFCON last 16 | OneFootball

Victor Osimhen scores as Eric Chelle’s side seal knockout progress with a game to spare, despite late lapses

Nigeria held off a dramatic late fightback from Tunisia in a five-goal thriller to seal their place in the last 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations.

However, Tunisia showed impressive spirit to hit back twice and set up a grandstand finish in which both sides created further golden chances.

Having opened their campaign with a nervy 2-1 victory over Tanzania, three-time winners Nigeria - beaten finalists last year - are now guaranteed to progress ahead of their final group stage fixture against Uganda on Tuesday, with a last-16 match to follow in Fez on January 5 against a third-placed team from Group A, B or F.

Tunisia, meanwhile, will likely need only a point against Tanzania in Rabat in order to go through as runners-up.

Nigeria made a dominant start to the game after making two changes to the side who beat Tanzania, with Bruno Onyemaechi and Frank Onyeka replacing Zaidu Sanusi and Samuel Chukwueze.

They should have gone ahead inside the first 10 minutes, though Victor Osimhen could only head strike partner Akor Adams’ pinpoint cross onto the roof of the net from close range.

Nigeria continued to ramp up the pressure and Osimhen sent another header off target before seeing a goal disallowed at AFCON for the fifth time in his career - and second time this week - as he reacted quickest to turn in the rebound after Adams had been denied by Aymen Dahmen, only for the offside flag to go up.

Osimhen headed wide again before receiving treatment following a knock, with Tunisia beginning to finally grow into the game after a totally passive start as Ali Abdi, Hazem Mastouri and Hannibal Mejbri all started to impress.

However, the half would end with Nigeria deservedly ahead, Osimhen sending a more difficult header from Ademola Lookman’s cross in off the hand of Dahmen.

It was only a second-ever AFCON goal for Nigeria’s talisman and first since their opening game of the delayed 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast.

The Super Eagles quickly picked up where they left off after the break, doubling their advantage as captain Wilfred Ndidi rose to head in Lookman’s corner and score his first senior international goal on his 73rd appearance.

Osimhen and Lookman were combining nicely and Tunisia were left furious after referee Boubou Traore blew immediately for a foul by Semi Ajayi on Mejbri rather than playing an advantage, with Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane - who replaced Elias Saad in Sami Trabelsi’s only change from the team that brushed aside Uganda 3-1 - sent clean through before being upended by Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Adams was denied a third for Nigeria by a last-ditch block, though it was 3-0 after 67 minutes as Lookman - who scored the winner against Tanzania and already had two assists on Tuesday - crashed in low off the post after a fine move involving Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Osimhen.

The Super Eagles looked to be sailing into the last 16, only for an unmarked Montassar Talbi to head home from Mejbri’s free-kick to set nerves jangling with just over 15 minutes to play.

Fears of a collapse grew stronger as Tunisia continued to ratchet up the intensity, awarded a penalty after Traore was sent by the VAR team led by Issa Sy to the pitchside monitor to review a handball shout against Bright Osayi-Samuel.

The spot-kick was emphatically dispatched by Abdi with three minutes on the clock and a further seven then added on, with Nigeria substitute Chidera Ejuke denied on the break before Tunisia captain Ferjani Sassi headed Sebastian Tounekti’s cross agonisingly wide and Ismael Gharbi could not connect cleanly with a volley that missed the target.

Earlier on Saturday, Benin clinched their first-ever win at the AFCON finals as Yohan Roche’s first-half goal was enough to see off Botswana, with Group D rivals Senegal and DR Congo then playing out a lively 1-1 draw in Tangier as Sadio Mane quickly cancelled out an opener from Cedric Bakambu.

Tanzania and Uganda also drew 1-1 in Rabat, with Uche Ikpeazu hitting a late equaliser following a Simon Msuva penalty to deny the Taifa Stars their maiden AFCON win.