Nigeria started its TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania at the Fez Stadium on Tuesday evening. Ademola Lookman, the 2024 CAF African player of the year scored what would be the winner, just a minute after Tanzania’s equalizer in the second half.
Semi Ajayi had given the Super Eagles a 1`-0 halftime lead, before Tanzania rallied to equalize through Charles M’Mbowa. However, it was the Nigerian side which would have the final laugh.
Ajayi broke the deadlock with a thumping header in the 36th minute, rising highest to head in an Alex Iwobi cross after a short start to a corner. Nigeria had won the corner after Tanzanian defender Bakari Mwamnyeto had cleared Victor Osimhen’s effort off the line.
With a 1-0 lead at halftime, and having dominated scoring chances, Nigeria were well in the driver’s seat.
In the second half, they thought they were off to a flier when Osimhen backheeled a cross into the net just 47 seconds in, but the flag was up for offside and VAR ruling the same. Two minutes on the turn, Tanzania equalized.
A brilliant ball from Novatus Dismas lofted behind the defence picked up M’Mbowa’s run, the midfielder sliding in to finish past Stanley Nwabali.
However, the joy of the equalizer lasted less than a minute as Lookman pulled a piece of individual brilliance, striking an unstoppable curler from the edge of the box.
Tanzania rallied to try scrape for a point and came close with two minutes left but Ibrahim Hamad’s volley from a poorly defended corner at close range was wild and wide.