The Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Fez stadium on Saturday booked a spot for the next round after thrashing Tunisia in their Africa Cup of Nations Group C encounter.
Victor Osimhen, captain Wilfred Ndidi, and Ademola Lookman were individually found the back of the head fighting Tunisians thrice to seal the passage to the knockout phase of the tournament.
Bruno Onyemaechi and Frank Onyeka replaced both Zaidu Sanusi and Samuel Chukwueze to the bench as Osimhen and Akor Adams continued to lead the attack.
A highly impressive Super Eagles dominated the first stanza and created multiple chances, with Osimhen heading over the bar twice, and also had a goal disallowed for offside.
Osimhen finally opened the goal feat for Nigeria with a downward header from a Lookman’s early cross, putting Nigeria into the break 1-0 ahead.
Nigeria scored the second goal five minutes after the restart of the second stanza through Ndidi’s glancing header from Lookman’s corner kick to bring the shoreline to 2-0, netting his first ever international goal for Nigeria.
The former Atalanta of Italy goal poacher then finished off a swift counter attack to make it 3-0 on 67 minutes.
Tunisia did not give up as they cameback against the tiring Super Eagles, as Montassar Talbi headed home to reduce the gap on 74 minutes, before Ali Abdi converted a penalty for handball was on 87 minutes to set up a tense finale.
The Eagles held on to the final minutes to seal all three points in the five-goal encounter, and thus topping the group over the Carthage Eagles they have defeated twice, adding to the 4-2 group stage win at AFCON 2000.
Nigeria is the first country to score three goals against Tunisia at AFCON since Ivory Coast in 2013.
The Eagles now have six points and will take on Uganda in the final group C match on Tuesday, December 30.
