Inadvertent Red Card, Masterful Display by Tunisia Ends Nigeria's Run.....

Garoua -- After so much hope with a masterful display at the group rounds, Nigeria was bundled out of the AFCON by a Covid-ravaged Tunisian team that could barely dress a full team. The score was 0-1 but the reality was the Tunisians were masterful strategically, shutting down the wide areas with double triple teams that silenced the rampant Nigeria display from wide.

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After so much hope with a masterful display at the group rounds, Nigeria was bundled out of the AFCON by a Covid-ravaged Tunisian team that could barely dress a full team. The score was 0-1 but the reality was the Tunisians were masterful strategically, shutting down the wide areas with double triple teams that silenced the rampant Nigeria display from wide.

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Yet, Nigeria could still have won the game. They were the more adventurous for most of the game. Aribo had an 11th minute opportunity rubbed off Then Nigeria called for a penalty kick after a Tunisian defender handled deep in the box, but the official saw no need to award one.  Nigeria's Okoye was not tested by a single shot at goal until 27 minutes had passed and it was from so far out that it led to a routine save.

Nigeria resumed in the second half with much hope. But then there was a shocker! Tunisia who had barely sniffed a chance took an opportunistic one from 25 yards out and the Nigerian goalie attempted a weak punch and ended up guiding the shot into his net. That was all Tunisia needed and what many had believed was the team's Achilles heel came back to haunt it. The goalkeeping had been an issue for years now with none of the goalkeepers providing much confidence and today it counted.

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But then there was a shocker! Tunisia who had barely sniffed a chance took an opportunistic one from 25 yards out and the Nigerian goalie attempted a weak punch and ended up guiding the shot into his net. That was all Tunisia needed and what many had believed was the team's Achilles heel came back to haunt it.

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Nevertheless, to attribute the defeat to a goalkeeper failure does not tell the entire story.  What happened next may well have been far more significant. Substitute Alex Iwobi had been barely on the field for a couple of minutes and he attempted to win the ball back but stepped on an opponent's ankle. Referee N'Daiye quickly issued a caution but as Iwobi protested, worse was on the way. The referee was informed to check the VCR. The foul was horrendous, although unintentional, the match official was left no other choice to send Iwobi to an early shower. But it was not just Iwobi to the showers, it was the end of Nigeria's AFCON journey.

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Substitute Alex Iwobi had been barely on the field for a couple of minutes and he attempted to win the ball back but stepped on an opponent's ankle. Referee N'Daiye quickly issued a caution but as Iwobi protested, worse was on the way. 

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With 10 men against a defensively determined Tunisia, it was always going to be a long day and so it proved. But it was not that opportunities dried, with Sadiq send on late to replace Chukwueze, Sadiq conjured up a brace of opportunities. One was eerily close a few seconds into five minutes of injury time. Sadiq slipped the ball past the onrushing goalie only to watch agonizingly as the ball trickled inches wide of the far post. It was all over.

Maduka Okoye (1)₁₆—Ola Aina (2)₂₄, William Troiost-Ekong (cpt-5)₅₈, Kenneth Omeruo (22)₅₈, Zaidu Sanusi (12)₉ – Wilfred Ndidi (4)_48, Joseph Aribo (10)₁₅ (88^th Ahmed Musa (7)₁₀₄)– Samuel Chukwueze (17)₂₂ (74^th Umar Sadiq (24)₄), Kelechi Iheanacho (14)₄₂ 37+(60^th Alex Iwobi (18)₅₅ +63), Moses Simon (15)₅₆ – Taiwo Awoniyi (19)₄ (60^th Peter Olayinka (28)). 

RATINGS

Maduka Okoye - 6.0 - Was not tested until late when Nigeria threw men forward in desperate search for a tie. That he failed to stop the goal will be remembered for a while given that the shot was outside the box and he had his hand on it but his weak attempt could only guide the ball into the net.

Ola Aina -- 6.3 -- Ola made one bad error but stayed home largely and he did little to affect the game positively.

William Ekong (cpt) -- 6.5 --William  had a good game trying to urge the team forward with long thrusts from deep but to no avail.

Kenneth Omeruo -- 6.3 -- Kenneth had an okay game. He was not outstanding.

Sanusi Zaidu -- 6.3 -- Sanusi was good attempting to jumpstart the attack but the crowded defense on the touchlines increased difficulty.

Wilfred Ndidi  -- 6.8 -- He gets the highest rating among Nigerian players. He clearly threw in everything he had but sadly with as man down it was always going to be difficult.

Joseph Aribo --6.4 -- Aribo did provide a fight but playing far up to help the attack meant it was difficult bringing up the ball from the back. He was eventually replaced late.

Kelechi Iheanacho -- 6.2 -- Kelechi, although battling in the middle, was almost anonymous in the most dangerous areas.  He was cautioned for a foul early and was then replaced after the resumption.

Samuel Chukwueze -- 6.1 -- He yet had another quiet game. This surely was not his tournament. To make matters worse, he ran into a Tunisian defense that was determined to close-off any runs down the liners.

Moses Simon -- 6.3 -- Simon had been the hero of the group round with unstoppable dribbling runs down wide but the Tunisians had been well prepared  y sending three to four defenders to shut down those runs. It was effective and Nigeria ran out of ideas.

Taiwo Awoniyi -- 6.2 -- Taiwo hustled but it is instructive that he did little to open opportunities and it made a world of difference when Sadiq was introduced but it was too late.

Peter Olayinka -- 6.1 -- He came in early but did little to affect the game. 

Umar Sadiq - 6.4 -- Sadiq was on for just a quarter of an hour but his runs and general businesses in the box provided some opportunities. He was unlucky to see a huge chance slip wide after slipping the ball under the goalie at 90+1.

Ahmed Musa -- X 

Alex Iwobi - X