Nigeria Held to a Draw by Equatorial Guinea in AFCON Opener

Nigeria, one of the African football giants, faced an unexpected challenge in their opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a resilient Equatorial Guinea side. The underdogs took a shock lead, but Nigeria quickly responded to salvage a point.

Equatorial Guinea surprised everyone by taking the lead after 36 minutes, with Iban Salvador finishing off a fine move clinically. However, Nigeria, led by Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, responded just two minutes later, leveling the score with a well-placed header at the back post.

Nigeria’s coach, Jose Peseiro, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, stating, “We played a good game, created many chances and clear opportunities, especially in the second half.” Despite the draw, he remains optimistic about their chances if they can maintain their dominance on the field.

Looking ahead, Nigeria faces a challenging task in their next match against host Ivory Coast at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium. The draw against Equatorial Guinea adds an element of unpredictability to Nigeria’s journey in the tournament, emphasizing the competitive nature of the AFCON.

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