Updated: Super Eagles out of AFCON, lose 0-1 to Tunisia

Tunisia Sunday night beat Nigeria 1-0 at Ominisports Roumde Adjia Stadium, Cameroon, in the round of 16 of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Tunisian team Carthage Eagles went ahead in the early minutes of the second half, and the Super Eagles could not muster a comeback.

Carthage Eagles of Tunisia came into this encounter with several players and their coach out due to COVID-19.

It is the first time the Super Eagles will not reach the quarter-final stage of AFCON since 1982, while Tunisia have advanced to the quarter-finals in four consecutive tournaments.

Both sides were on the offensive from the start, Wilfred Ndidi saw an overhead kick bobbling just wide while Joe Aribo saw a shot deflected for a corner.

The initial rush subsided and chances were hard to come by with Tunisian players throwing themselves to the floor in search of fouls to stop the Super Eagles from stringing an attacking move together.

The North Africans had the last shot of the first half, Hamza Rafia curling well wide as Tunisia kept the score level at halftime.

Tunisia took the lead three minutes after the restart through Msakni, the forward’s tame shot took a slight deflection off William Troost-Ekong and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye could only divert into his net for a shock 1-0 lead.

Coach Austin Eguavoen brought in Alex Iwobi and Peter Olayinka but Iwobi was sent off three minutes after coming on for dangerous play, a VAR review changing his caution to a dismissal.

This spurred the Super Eagles into action, Moses Simon’s shot was saved at the back post while Chukwueze was unable to find the target after a mazy run from Ola Aina. Simon, Ndidi and Sadiq Umar all dragged shots wide as the

Tunisian defence was resolute till the end. The team will face Burkina Faso in the quarter final.