This was the eighth time the Super Eagles were playing a third and fourth AFCON play-off and they kept their record of winning the bronze medal match.
Though with a maiden AFCON medal around his neck, it wasn’t a near perfect evening for Ighalo. Almost reduced to tears, the Chinese based striker limped off the pitch and had to be consoled by his teammates after pulling his hamstring as he raced off a counter and tried to make a pass.
But, he hopes to cling on to the golden boot and hopes that neither of Sadio Mane or Adam Ounas scores a goal in Friday evening’s final as they both trail him by two goals.
The Shanghai Shenhua forward stretched his foot to nudge the ball home from a yard out after Tunisia keeper Moez Ben Cherifia and his defender Yassine Meriah both clashed as they threw themselves on the ground to try and cut out Collins Jamilu’s cross from the left.
But that was just about it as much as the Nigerian attack was concerned as the Tunisians took control of the game both in terms of possession and chances created.
In the eighth minute, defender Kenneth Omeruo had to make a brilliant intervention to cut out Taha Khenissi’s shot from the right after he had been sent through by a delightful ball from skipper Wahbi Khazri.
Ferjani Sassi came inches close after 14 minutes, his low effort from the edge of the box after skillfully evading a tackle from Peter Etebo went just wide. Nigeria were playing too deep in their own half and had let the midfield partnership of Sassi and Joris Skhiri take charge of the tempo.
On the other end, Chukwueze came close to doubling Nigeria’s advantage when he picked up the ball at the edge of the box but his curling effort was smothered behind for a corner by Ben Chirifia.
With the game advancing and the demanding nature of the tournament taking a toll on the players, the pace of the game drastically dropped with chances few and far in between.
Substitute Samuel Kalu provided some late flashes of brilliance late in the game barely a minute after his introduction with two brilliant freekicks, both of which were saved by Ben Cherifia.
- Nigeria have now won the third-place a record 8 times at the #AFCON tournament
- They have never lost a Bronze Medal match at the competition.
1976
1978
1992
2002
2004
2006
2010
2019
- They came second in 1984, 1988, 1990 & 2000
- Were crowned AFCON champions in 1980, 1994 & 2013
Below is the number of times the following teams have finished in the medals table of the African Cup of Nations
Nigeria
Appearance = 18
Medal table finish = 15
Egypt
Appearance = 24
Medal table finish = 12
Ghana
Appearance = 22
Medal table finish = 10
Cameron
Appearance = 19
Medal table finish = 8
(source: CAFONLINE.COM)