Nigeria Finish Group With Perfect Record as Guinea Bissau Goes Down 0-2

Garoua -- Nigeria beat Guinea Bissau 2-0 to finish its Group games with a perfect record of 9 maximum points for the second time in its AFCON history. The first time was also under the current manager, Augustine Eguavoen. This time in Garoua, Nigeria began the game already assured of first place because of a tie breaker win over Egypt but Nigeria did not take its foot off the pedal. Guinea Bissau paid the price against a team significantly loaded with reserves that Nigeria unleashed on the day.

Guinea Bissau provided a fight with Troyes' Mame Balde's speed creating difficulty for Nigeria's right side of the defense. Ebuehi was having difficulties with Balde's pace. In the 10th  minute Balde again left Nigeria's defense for dead, this time it was Ajayi panting behind , but Uzoho was quick of his line to save Nigeria. But Nigeria quickly adjusted with Ajayi playing a superb role in keeping the Troyes attacker at bay.

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Guinea Bissau provided a fight with Troyes' Mame Balde's speed creating difficulty for Nigeria's right side of the defense. Ebuehi was having difficulties with Balde's pace. In the 10th  minute Balde again left Nigeria's defense for dead, this time it was Ajayi panting behind , but Uzoho was quick of his line to save Nigeria.

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Nigeria found it difficult, increasingly, to breakdown the Bissau boys in the middle but from the quarter hour Nigeria had grabbed hold of the game. Guinea Bissau was then limited to quick counters that were quickly quelled. But in spite of Nigeria's resurrection, Sadiq's energy, little came off it. After 23 minutes, Sadiq was sent through the middle, he rounded up the keeper but was dispossessed as he linger deep.

Nigeria resumed the second half on the ascendancy but the wide areas were lacking on effectiveness. The wide areas had been the hallmark of Nigeria's game in the previous two games but it was blunted in this game early. In desperation and acutely realizing the Guinea Bissau's goalkeeper tendency to stray to the top of his box, Nigeria tested from very long distances. First, Sadiq's attempt was well wide and then Kelechi followed with another that sent the goalie scurrying back to desperately save the ball across his bar.

Shortly after, Nigeria took a deserved lead.  Iheanacho broke from the right and his cross was slipped home by Sadiq. The goal was clarified after a VAR check. As Sadiq was sent to the bench before the VAR check was over, his replacement Moses Simon entered to change the game completely. He became a Guinea Bissau nightmare with dribbling ruins down the left as Nigeria's wide areas came to life for the first time in the game. Moses, with seeming ease, went past the opponents defense repeatedly. But all this came after Guinea Bissau presented its last attempts to claim at least a point.

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As Sadiq was sent to the bench before the VAR check was over, his replacement Moses Simon entered to change the game completely. He became a Guinea Bissau nightmare with dribbling ruins down the left as Nigeria's wide areas came to life for the first time in the game. Moses, with seeming ease, went past the opponents defense repeatedly. But all this came after Guinea Bissau presented its last attempts to claim at least a point.

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Eventually a second goal arrived in the and it duly came from another Simon slalom. This time he took out several defenders before hitting the bar on 76 minutes and the rebound was clattered home by William Ekong. A VAR check took all of three minutes to confirm the score. It was all that mattered, although Ajayi crowned a superb outing with a last ditch save in the 84th  minute after Uzoho failed to cleanly hold a shot as an attacker rushed in.

LINE-UP

Francis Uzoho (23)₁₈ – Tyronne Ebuehi (21)₁₁ (76^th Olisa Ndah (26)₆), William Troost-Ekong (cpt -5)₅₇, Semi Ajayi (6)₁₇, Jamilu Collins (3)₂₆ – Wilfred Ndidi (4) ₄₇, Kelechi Nwakali (25)₃ (76^th Frank Onyeka (8)₅) – Alex Iwobi (18)₅₄, Kelechi Iheanacho (14)₄₁ (84^th Henry Onyekuru (11)₁₇), Chidera Ejike (13)₈ (55^th Moses Simon (15)₅₅) – Sadiq Umar (24)₃ (55^th Peter Olayinka (28)₃).  

RATINGS

Francis Uzoho - 6.5 - Uzoho was magnificent in the moments in which he was tested in the game and there were multiple such moments. However, he failed to hold a difficult shot that Ajayi had to push into safety as the opponents sought to pounce.

Tryronne Ebuehi -- 6.2 -- Ebuehi did not exactly distinguish himself in this outing but did help going forward at times. However, he appeared rusty or simply unsettled.

William Troost-Ekong -- 6.4 - Troost was good and played within himself although a made a meal of one simple pass in the second half that Ndah rushed back to steer into safety. He notched up an opportunistic goal for Nigeria's second after Simon's effort came off the bar.

Semi Ajayi -- 7.5 -- Semi was the best Nigerian defender on the day.  He was active throughout. He had a chance at goal and then saved a dangerous moment late and otherwise was critical in checking the dangerous Balde.

Jamilu Collins -- 6.3 -- Jamilu was average on the day. However, his first half output was much better than later.

Wilfred Ndidi -- 7.0 -- His presence in the middle was very important particularly in the first half when the opponents sought to establish foothold on the game.

Kelechi Nwakali -- 6. 2 -- Kelechi was largely anonymous. However, he had one superb freekick attempt in the first half that unsettled the opponent's' defense.

Alex Iwobi -- 6.2 -- Iwobi was dangerous early but faded as the game went on.  clearly, he is more impactful coming through the middle than from the wide areas.

Kelechi Iheanacho -- 6.3 -- Iheanacho was anonymous in the opening half but suddenly became awake after the interval. It was notable that he then provided the assist for the opening goal.

Chidera Ejuke -- 6.7 -- Ejuke played within himself and was active especially in the opening half.  he had one good opportunity turned into corner after just 18 minutes.

Sadiq Umar -- 6.5 -- Sadiq finally notched his first senior goal for Nigeria. Before then, he seemed to be pressed and the result were a string of missed opportunities as he pressed.  

Moses Simon -- 8.0 -- Simon gets the best rating in barely 35 minutes of football. In that 35 minutes, he completely terrorized the opposition's defense and easily did whatever pleased him, it appeared. He suddenly brought to live Nigeria's play from wide that had largely gone asleep in this game.

Peter Olayinka -- 6. 3 --Peter presented himself and was generally involved but his competition for striker position will not be losing any sleep today. He was average at best.

Olisa Ndah - 6.3 -- Olisa appeared flustered but did reasonably well. He did not do much to indicate that he was fighting for a spot on a starting squad. 

Frank Onyeka -- 6.2 -- Onyeka came in and assisted in the middle but did nothing memorable except to keep it simple. 

Henry Onyekuru -- X - Onyekuru was brought in very late and not much to go on for any worthwhile rating.