AFCON 2025: Lookman’s strike gives Nigeria win over Tanzania
Questions are raging online over the potency of Primate Olubayo’s Ayodele’s pre-match warning that the Super Eagles would not do well against Tanzania if they fielded Ademola Lookman.
The team had ended up defeating the Tanzanian 2-1 in a Group C opener at the 35th African Cup of Nations AFCON) on Tuesday, with Lookman gallantly netting home the winning goal.
This has attracted mockery to Ayodele whom many now label a fake prophet.
The match was played at the Complexe Sportif de Fes, Morocco.
Semi Ajayi broke the deadlock after the Eagles dominance through a header from by Alex Iwobi to open the scoring in the 35th minute,displacing the resilience Tanzanian goal keeper zuberi Musadi.
On resumption from the second half, Victor Osimhen’s effort to make it two was ruled out for offside by the Video Assistant Referee ( VAR).
Tanzanian’s determination paid off when Charles M’Mombwa’s finishing in the 50th minute brought Tanzania leveled with Nigeria.
Ademola Lookman however restore Nigeria’s lead again in the 52nd minute with a shot from outside the box.
The Eagles backline marshalled by Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi kept the Tanzanians who tried several times to break the Eagles defence at bay.
Speaking after the match, the head coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, admitted he made some poor decisions, in spite of a 2–1 victory over the Taifa Stars.
“I made a lot of choices; some were good, some were not good.
“I told the journalists that I have my vision and I’m the coach.”
“I made a lot of choices; some were good, some were not good.I told the journalists that I have my vision and I’m the coach,”he said.
Tunisia in another group C match played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, defeated Uganda 3-1.
In other matches played today in group D, DR Congo defeated Benin Republic with a slim 1-0, while Senegal defeated Botswana 3-0 to top the the group.
The Eagles will continue their campaign in the group when they take on Tunisia on Saturday in Fes while Tanzania will also slug it out with Uganda on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 11,444 spectators were in attendance.
