The Super Eagles of Nigeria sit second in Group A as they secured their place in the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after a narrow 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau on Monday.
The victory ensured that Nigeria finished second in Group A behind Equatorial Guinea, who defeated hosts Ivory Coast by four goals to nil.
Nigeria, who went into the game as favorites after drawing their first match against Equitorial Guinnea and defeating host nation Ivory Coast by a goal to nil in the last game, failed to break the deadlock as Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper Jonas Mendes made several saves to keep his team in the game.
The Wild Dogs also defended resolutely and frustrated the Nigerian attackers, who lacked the final touch.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute, when Opa Sangate’s clearance of a cross from Simon Moses resulted in an own goal
Guinea-Bissau tried to respond with some counter-attacks, but Nigeria’s defense, led by Ola Aina and Kenneth Omeruo, held firm and denied any clear opportunities.
Nigeria’s coach José Santos Peseiro made some substitutions to freshen up his team and preserve the lead, bringing on Alex Iwobi and Raphael Onyedika in the 63rd minute; Zaidu and Lookman came in the 80th minute; and Awaziem replaced Ola Aina in the 90th minute.
The final whistle sparked jubilation among the Nigerian players and fans, who celebrated their qualification to the knockout stage for the seventh consecutive time.
Nigeria will now face the runners-up of Group C, which could be Senegal, Cameroon, or Guinea, depending on the results of the final matches on Tuesday.
Guinea-Bissau, on the other hand, bowed out of the tournament with zero points and two goals scored in three games. The Wild Dogs, who made their debut in the AFCON in 2017, will hope to improve their performance in future editions.