Raphael Onyedika struck twice as a heavily rotated Super Eagles side defeated 10-man Uganda 3-1 on Tuesday, completing the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a flawless record.
The Club Brugge midfielder found the net in the 62nd and 67th minutes in Fes, after Paul Onuachu had put Nigeria ahead in the 28th minute.
The victory ensured Nigeria finished the group phase with the maximum nine points, having already beaten Tanzania and Tunisia in their earlier fixtures.
Nigeria opened the scoring through a well-worked move that exposed gaps in the Ugandan defence. Bruno Onyemaechi’s incisive pass released Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, whose low delivery was calmly converted by Onuachu despite heavy pressure from three defenders.
Uganda’s hopes suffered a major setback in the 56th minute when goalkeeper Salim Magoola was sent off for handling the ball outside his area. Magoola had only come on at half-time to replace veteran captain Denis Onyango.
With less than an hour played, Uganda were forced to introduce their third goalkeeper, Legason Alionz, who was beaten twice within eight minutes as Nigeria took full control of the match.
Onyedika scored both goals with precise finishes into the bottom right corner, each time assisted by Samuel Chukwueze, who is currently on loan at Fulham from AC Milan.
Nigeria’s round-of-16 opponents will be confirmed after the conclusion of the remaining group matches.
In the other Group C encounter, Tanzania booked a historic place in the knockout stage for the first time by drawing 1-1 with Tunisia in Rabat.
Tunisia went ahead shortly before the break after Ismael Gharbi converted a penalty, but Feisal Salum equalised early in the second half for Tanzania.
The result marked Tanzania’s first progression beyond the group stage since their AFCON debut in 1980. Despite failing to record a win in four tournament appearances, two draws and a defeat proved enough to secure a last-16 spot.
Tunisia finished second in the group with four points, five fewer than leaders Nigeria, while Tanzania edged Angola on goals scored to claim one of the available third-place qualification slots.
What you should know
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have emerged as one of the strongest teams at the 2025 AFCON after winning all three group matches and showcasing squad depth through rotation.
Raphael Onyedika’s performance underlined the growing influence of Europe-based midfielders in the national team, while Tanzania’s qualification represents a historic milestone after decades of group-stage exits.
The expanded knockout format at AFCON allows the best third-placed teams to advance, increasing opportunities for emerging football nations to compete at the latter stages of the tournament.
