Sports News of Monday, 24 January 2022
Source: Nicholas Tetteh Amedor
2022-01-24
The Super Eagles were kicked out of the tournament by Tunisia
Nigeria Super Eagles have ended their chase for the Africa Cup of Nation, AFCON 2021 trophy in the round of 16 after being beaten by the Carthage Eagles of Tunisian on Sunday, January 23, 2022.
The Super Eagles have tasted their first defeat in the hands of the Tunisians in the second game of the round of 16 games played at Roumbe Adjia Stadium at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nation in Cameroon after winning their three group D matches against Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and Sudan.
The Super Eagles amassed all the nine points from their group games according to them the only team to win all the group games in the tournament.
However, the Group D champions could not continue their winning run in the tournament after conceding an early goal in the second half of the game.
All the Tunisians needed to salvage a qualification in the game to the next round was the long-range shot from Y. Msakni in the 47th minute to see them through to the quarter-final stage.
Nigerian substitute, Alex Iwobi was shown the exit in the 66th minute after coming in for Kelechi Iheanacho in the 60th minute just after six minutes.
In another round of 16 games played earlier on Sunday between Burkina Faso and Gabon, the game ended on one all for the two teams after regulation time which extended the game to extra time. Both teams could not seal a win in the extra time living the option for a penalty kick to decide who qualifies for the quarter-finals.
The Stallions of Burkina Faso converted nicely seven out of their ten penalty kicks while the Gabonese committed only six of nine of their spot-kicks denying them the quarter-finals bet.
In a world cup draw that came on Saturday, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will come up against the Black Stars of Ghana in March for one of the African five slots in the 2022 FIFA World cup in Quarta later in the year.
The Tunisians will now face Burkina Faso in the quarter-final stage on Saturday, 29 January, 2022.
The other round of 16 games involves Guinea vrs Gambia,Cameroon vrs Comoros, Senegal vrs Cape Verde, Morocco vrs Malawi, Ivory Coast vrs Egypt, and the last will be between Mali against Equatorial Guinea.