So far the biggest shock of the tournament, the highly fancied Eagles had been expected to win the game with ease and top their group with seven points. A draw too would have seen the team through as group winners but alas, the Guineans were having none of it and made sure they advanced to the knock-out stages at Nigeria's expense.
Having already beaten Niger Republic 4-1 and played a 1-1 draw with Tunisia, many pundits had ripped Nigeria as favourites to win the tournament. Guinea's coach Kanfory Lappé Bangoura who had told the media that his team was ready to punish the home-based Eagles kept his vow as his team punished Nigeria's schoolboy defending.
In the Group C make-or-bust game at the Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu, Sankhon put the Guineans ahead on the 45th minute just on the stroke of half time. Upon the resumption of the game, Nigeria pressed for an equaliser but failed to break down the stoic Guineans, who themselves could have scored several times on the counter attack.
In the group's other game, Tunisia walloped Niger Republic 5-0 to go top of the group with five points, just ahead of Guinea on goals difference. Tunisia's Ahmed Akachi could end up as the tournament's top scorer now as like Nigeria's Chisom Chikatara he has four goals but his team is still in the tournament.
GROUP C
Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Tunisia (A) 3 1 2 0 8 3 +5 5
Guinea (A) 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1 5
Nigeria (E) 3 1 1 1 5 3 +2 4
Niger (E) 3 0 1 2 3 1 1 −8
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