By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Tanzania Play 1-1 Draw With Tunisia all in Group C
‘BORN AGAIN’ Super Eagles of Nigeria playing their best game in recent times on Tuesday in Fez Morocco dismantled the Ugandan Red Devils 3-1 in the last group C game.
Nigeria showed she has a reservoir of good players as shoveling of players brought Raphael Onyedika who scored a brace first the second goal in the 62nd minute from a brilliant Sam Chukwueze pass and the 3rd goal when Mr. Tallie, Paul Onuachu who tipped the ball to him in the 67th minute when he scored a blinder of a shot Cover photo shows Onyedika being congratulated by his colleagues.
Mr. Tallie Onuachu tallest on the field of play had opened the goals account book in the 28th minute when Dele Bashiru who beat the veteran Ugandan goalkeeper made a diagonal pass to Onuachu to score.
Uganda made a record by being the only country perhaps in football history to have played their three goalkeepers in a single match when 40 years old Denis Onyaugo who retired from international football four and a half years ago but called back to help twisted his left ankle but refused to be substituted until second half exactly 46th minute by Jamal Salim.
Salim made an unprofessional error being jittery and fearful of Victor Osimhen goal bound move when in the 57th minute (11 minutes of his presence on the pitch) punched the ball outside the box and was given a straight Red Card. Midfield player, Baba Alhassan had to be sacrificed for the 3rd goalkeeper, Alionzi Nafian to come in.
Uganda got a consolatory goal in the 75th minute when Rogers Mato got a floater that he used to beat Francis Uzoho in goal for Nigeria.
Incidentally, Nigeria’s record against Ugandan Cranes did not show absolute superiority for they both met some 8 times of which Uganda won 4 times, Nigeria won 2 times and there were 2 draws.
For example, in 2007nthey met twice at AFCON level Nigeria won at home on 24th March 1-0 and the return leg Uganda won 2-1 on 6th June 2007.
There were two friendly matches in 2015 that Nigeria lost by a lone goal and that of 2018 ended in a draw.
Nigeria ranked 38 in the world now has won AFCON Gold thrice; Silver five times and Bronze 8 times. Nigeria must take a medal home if she gets to the last four standing.
The Red Devils of Uganda who are known football spoilers is ranked 85 in the world now and only won Silver once of her 8 appearances and that feat was when Ghana hosted and won AFCON in 1978. That year Nigeria beat Tunisia to hang the Bronze on her neck.
Taifa Stars of Tanzania played a surprise 1-1 with Carthage Eagles of Tunisia . Tunisia got her only goal via VAR approved penalty for Ibrahim Hamad who gave a bear hug to an opponent in a set piece mode in the 28th minute and Ismael Gharbi scored.
The equalizer came for Tanzania when Moroshi found Faisal Salim who scored in the 48th minute.
Taifa Stars of Tanzania is too low to stand the Tunisian status in African football being ranked 112 in the world to Tunisia’s 42. Tunisian has been a regular at AFCON parties being there now the 22nd time compared with Tanzania’s 5th presence. Tunisia has one Gold; 2 Silver; no Bronze but place 4th 3 times. Tanzania never went beyond the group stages.
Group C ended with Nigeria earning maximum 9 points sparing Nigerians the use of calculators and gifting stand in Captain Victor Osimhen who only yesterday Monday, turned 27 years old a birthday gift, scoring 8 goals and conceding 4; Tunisia came second with 4 points scoring 6 goals and conceding 5: Tanzania will go into the prayer room to fervently pray for luck to qualify as lucky loser with 2 points scoring 3 goals and conceding 4 while Uganda takes the exit door to the airport to depart home with just a point scoring 3 goals and conceding 7 goals.
Group D will be on parade at 8.00pm later tonight when Cheetahs of Benin plays a difficult match against Teranga Lions of Senegal and ousted Botswana will play a formality match against DR Congo.
Group stages finish on New Year’s Eve when on Wednesday Equatorial Guinea plays already qualified Algeria and Sudan tries the Stallions of Burkina Faso all at 5.00pm
Then at 8.00pm when Christians will be moving to various worship Centers all over the world for the Cross Over service, Gabon will play Ivory Coast and Mozambique will face Cameroon.
#AFCON25 #CAF #FRMC #FAF #ZIFA
#FAFA #EFA #NFF.
