The Super Eagles Book Africa Cup of Nations Last 16 Place Despite Fierce Tunisia Comeback
Ex- Continent's Best Player of the Year the Napoli star helped his team build a 3-0 lead, but the Super Eagles were forced to hold on for a hard-fought victory.
The three-time champions weathered a dramatic late rally from their opponents to progress to the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Morocco.
The Super Eagles appeared to be cruising in their Group C clash in the Moroccan city, holding a three-goal cushion with just a quarter of an hour left thanks to strikes from their attacking trio.
However, Montassar Talbi pulled one back with a close-range finish from a Hannibal Mejbri free-kick, igniting hopes of a turnaround.
The tension escalated when Tunisia were awarded a spot-kick after a video assistant referee review spotted a handling offense by the Nigerian defender. Ali Abdi converted in the 87th minute to create a frantic conclusion.
The Carthage Eagles came agonizingly close from a last-gasp equalizer in added time, with captain Ferjani Sassi directing a chance just past the post before Ismael Gharbi sent a bobbling volley past the goal frame.
Securing Top Spot
This result ensures that Nigeria, winners of the tournament on three previous occasions, advance to six group points and are guaranteed first place in Group C with one game still to be contested.
For the round of 16, they will face a third-placed team from either Group A, B or F.
In the other match, the 2004 champions remain on three group points, with Uganda and Tanzania locked on a single point each after playing out a 1-1 draw in the day's other fixture.
The concluding group fixtures will see Nigeria remain in Fes to take on Uganda on Tuesday, while the Eagles of Carthage return to the capital to confront Tanzania.
An Anxious Conclusion
The Tunisian defender drilled the ball from the penalty spot to give Tunisia a glimmer of hope of snatching a point.
The Super Eagles, runners-up in the previous tournament, become the second nation after Egypt to reach the next phase, but coach Eric Chelle and supporters will certainly be feeling relieved.
What looked like set to be a straightforward last period transformed into a nerve-wracking conclusion.
The prolific striker had a goal disallowed for an infringement before opening the scoring on the stroke of the interval, expertly guiding a header into the bottom corner from an Ademola Lookman cross.
The lead was doubled soon in the second half when the Leicester City midfielder climbed above everyone to thump in a header from a set-piece kick.
Osimhen then turned provider Lookman for the seemingly decisive goal, only for the defender to direct a header past the Nigerian shot-stopper to initiate the fightback.
The key moment arrived when a looping cross hit the forearm of the full-back, with referee Boubou Traore awarding a penalty after consulting the VAR monitor.
Although Ali Abdi's confident conversion, the 2004 champions ultimately came up just short of completing a stirring recovery.
Tunisia's destiny is still in their own hands; a point against Tunisia will be sufficient to secure progression, and manager Sami Trabelsi will be eager to avoid a recurrence of the 2013 group-stage exit that resulted in his previous resignation.
