African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen scored for Nigeria as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their Africa Cup of Nations Group A opener in Abidjan.
Iban Edu had opened the score in the first half of the match, but Osimhen quickly tied the score, leaving both teams on one point—two fewer than leaders and hosts Ivory Coast.
In the same stadium, Guinea-Bissau was defeated 2-0 by Ivory Coast to start the biannual African football showcase.
It was anticipated that Nigeria, who is ranked 46 spots higher in the world than Equatorial Guinea, would win to start their campaign for a fourth African championship.
“We hoped to win this match and we did everything to win. Our team was better than Equatorial Guinea but we lacked luck,” said Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro.
“I am not happy. I deserved to win — this draw does not suit us. Our team created a lot of chances but we did not score.
“We hope that next time, even with fewer opportunities, we will score. We simply have to improve our finishing.”
Equatorial Guinea coach Juan Micha said: “We still have a lot to do. We are in a group stage and this is the first match. We will try to reach the next stage.”
It was appropriate that the celebrity who formerly made a living by selling newspapers on busy Lagos streets was the first to make a threat, considering how much attention Osimhen received in the lead-up to the game.
When the Napoli forward was given a half-chance outside the box in the fifth minute, he fired over the crossbar with an unusual finish.
Ten minutes into a match that drew a sparse crowd to the 60,000-seat Ebimpe Olympic Stadium, Nigeria dominated the early possession and had a chance to take the lead.
Super Eagle Zaidu Sanusi was the only player to avoid a low cross from the right, but his shot went high and wide.
The Equatoguineans gained momentum in the second half and took the lead on the thirty-sixth minute thanks to a midfield player whose name changes depending on the position he plays.
Ivan Salvador Edu is known as Ivan Salvador in Spain, where he was born, but in Africa he is Iban Edu, the name on his shirt in this match.
After receiving a pass from Jose Machin just inside the box, Edu used his left foot to put the ball past Stanley Nwabali, the stationary custodian, and into the corner of the net.
In a stadium outside the Ivorian capital, Osimhen tied the score two minutes later as Nigeria responded quickly.
Ademola Lookman of Atalanta crossed the ball, and Osimhen of the reigning Serie A champions nodded the ball into the net at the far post to tie the score in a “Italian” fashion.
Equatoguinean Jesus Owono was the more active custodian in the second half, foiling multiple Nigerian teams that were in the ascendancy with his feet.
Midway through the first half, Nigeria suffered a setback when their dynamic midfield player, Alhassan Yusuf, who had been a late addition to the team to replace the injured Wilfred Ndidi, retired with an injury.
On the 76th minute, Osimhen had a fantastic opportunity to put his nation ahead when, in a one-on-one with Ewono, he fired past the custodian but wide of the net.
Equatorial Guinea takes on Guinea-Bissau in the second round of Group A on Thursday, with the matchup between Ivory Coast and Nigeria possibly serving as the mini-league’s high point.
Photo by Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
