Nigeria Snatch Third Place In AFCON After Win Over Tunisia

Nigeria clinched the bronze medal by defeating Tunisia 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations third play-off match at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday night

Odion Ighalo scored the important goal in the 3^rd minute with a simple tap after Carthage Eagles keeper Moez Ben Cherifia deflected the ball off his own defender Yassine Meriah.

Nigeria have finished 3rd eight times and have won the trophy three times, the last coming in 2013.

“We are satisfied with third place. We managed to beat Africa’s second-best team. It was hard so we are good with it. I told the players that winning a small final is better than losing a big one. I am very positive about the future,” said the Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.

Tunisia had their forwards Badri, Yassine Khenissi and Wahbi Khazri missing decent chances for a reply as Nigeria defence stood firm.

Samuel Chukwueze could have extended Super Eagles lead in the 63^rd minute but Chirefia was quick to deny the youngster’s effort from long range.

Tunisia looked brighter towards the closing stages of the game but the Super Eagles did enough to hold on to their lead and claim the victory.