MON, JAN 22 2024-theGBJournal|It was Nigeria’s 100th game in the African Cup of Nations and they made it count with a 1-0 win over hard fighting Guinea-Bissua in the final Group A stage match in Abidjan.
36th minute into the game and after consistent pressure, a cross by Moses Simon into the Guinea-Bissua box was blasted into the net by Guinea Bissau defender Opa Sangante to gift the Super Eagles the first goal.
Guinea-Bissua had a goal dissallowed in 81st minute just like Nigeria in 83rd minute.
Nigeria made five changes to the starting line up.
The scorer of the crucial goal against Cote d’ Ivoire, Troost Ekong, nursing a slight injury was left out from the starting line-up, replaced by Keneth Omeruo, Sanusi Zaidu (brought in after 79th minute), Alex Iwobi and Lookman were also left out in the starting line up.
Guniea-Bissua on their own made 10 changes. Bikel was the only player who kept his place in the team.
The Super Eagles will face the second-placed side from Group C having finished second behind Equatorial Guinea in the Group- which will be Cameroon, Senegal or Guinea on Saturday.
Meanwhile, host nation Cote d’Ivoire suffered a humiliating defeat in the hands of giant killers, Equatorial Guinea, falling 0-4 in the breath-taking encounter.
Equatorial Guinea scored three goals in first half with a brace coming from striker Emilio Nsue in the 42nd and 75th minute. Pablo Ganet and Yannick Buyla added two more to leave the home crowd heart broken.
The defeat leaves Cote d’ Ivoire third in Group A. Their faith now hangs on other group stage matches as the four best third-placed sides across the six groups qualify to the last 16.
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