Nigeria stumbled to a 1-1 draw against underdogs Equatorial Guinea in their opening game of AFCON 2023.
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea – How it happened
Nigeria started brightly, set up in a 4-3-3 formation with Osimhen as the lone forward and Lookman buzzing around the Napoli man.
The Super Eagles spurned a glorious chance to break the deadlock in the 11th minute as Zaidu Sanusi inexplicably managed to misfire wide when presented with a gaping net.
Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili could do nothing to prevent Equatorial Guinea from taking the lead against the run of play in the 36th minute, as Iván Salvador exquisitely guided the ball into the bottom corner.
Nigeria swiftly responded, and Victor Osimhen, the 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year, headed home Ademola Lookman’s well-delivered cross.
In the second half, they continued to press for the win but Equatorial Guinea’s goalkeeper Jesús Owono made crucial saves. Ola Aina’s solo effort was denied, and Osimhen missed a glorious chance to give Nigeria the win.
The Super Eagles will now aim to bounce back against Ivory Coast, who lead Group A after defeating Guinea Bissau.
