Tunisia and Tanzania have joined Nigeria and six other teams in the round of 16 of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco following the conclusion of Group C matches.
Nigeria maintained a perfect record in the group with a 3–1 victory over Uganda, thanks to two goals from Raphael Onyedika and an opener from Paul Onuachu. The Super Eagles finished the group stage with the maximum nine points from three matches.
Already assured of top spot after earlier wins against Tanzania and Tunisia, Nigeria nevertheless delivered a commanding performance against an Ugandan side desperate for victory to boost its chances of qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Despite making eight changes to his starting line-up, head coach Eric Chelle saw his side dominate proceedings. Victor Osimhen captained the team in the absence of Wilfred Ndidi, while Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze provided width and attacking thrust from the flanks.
Nigeria’s breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Paul Onuachu bundled home a cross from Dele Bashiru. Uganda defended resolutely thereafter to limit the Super Eagles to a 1–0 lead at the interval.
Uganda’s challenge weakened significantly early in the second half when captain and first-choice goalkeeper Dennis Onyango was forced off through injury. Matters worsened when his replacement, Salim Jamal Magoola, was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area while attempting to stop an Osimhen chip.
Reduced to 10 men, Uganda struggled to contain Nigeria’s pressure, and Onyedika struck twice in quick succession in the 62nd and 67th minutes to put the match beyond reach.
The Cranes pulled one back in the 75th minute when Rogers Mato finished calmly after controlling a low pass from Okello, lifting the ball over stand-in goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
In the group’s other fixture, Tunisia and Tanzania played out a 1–1 draw, a result that secured progression for both teams. Tunisia finished second in the group, while Tanzania advanced as one of the best third-placed sides.
The Taifa Stars made history by becoming the first team to qualify for the knockout stage of an AFCON with just two points since the tournament was expanded to 24 teams in 2019.
In the round of 16, Tunisia will face Group A runners-up Mali in Casablanca on Saturday, January 3. Tanzania, appearing in the knockout stage for the first time, will remain in Rabat to take on host nation Morocco the following day.
Nigeria will stay in Fes, where the Super Eagles will face the third-placed team from Group F—Mozambique, Cameroon or Côte d’Ivoire—on Monday.
The final line-up for the round of 16 will be confirmed after the remaining Group E and Group F matches. The knockout phase will run from January 3 to January 6, with the quarterfinals scheduled for January 9 and 10, the semifinals on January 13, and the final set for January 18 in Rabat.
