Home-based Eagles top their Chan group with four points after 1-1 draw with Tunisia

NIGERIA'S  progress to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Championship of African Nations (Chan) in Rwanda was delayed by Tunisia yesterday after the North Africans held the home-based Eagles to a 1-1 draw in their second group game.

 

Getting off to a flying start in the tournament, Nigeria beat Niger Republic 4-1 in the opening game and had the Eagles won yesterday, would have automatically qualified for the quarter finals. However, they now have four points from two matches and need at least a draw in their final group game against Guinea to be absolutely certain of progressing to the next stage.

 

After a goalless first half, Nigeria took the lead in the 51st minute through Chisom Chikatara, who now has four goals to his name in the tournament. However, the Tunisians equalised in the 70th minute through Ahmed Akaichi and might have even bagged all three points had the assistant referee not disallowed a genuine goal in the first half.

 

After two games, Nigeria now has four points from two matches, while Tunisia have two points, going into the final round of games next week. Having hit a hat-trick in the 4-1 rout of Niger on Monday, Abia Warriors forward, Chikatara was handed a start by head coach Oliseh, operating in the centre of an attacking tripod of Osas Okoro on the left and Prince Aggrey on the right.

 

However, supply from these wide positions was cut off by the well organised Tunisian side and in the opening quarter of the game, both sides showed flashes of promising and exciting runs. Akaichi, who now has three goals in the tournament, uncharacteristically missed the best chance of the half early on in the game.

 

After that, the next 30 minutes were cagey but Tunisia were denied a dying minute goal in the first half when Akaichi scored off a pass, which was adjudged to have gone outside the line by the assistant referee. However, replays showed that the ball was not over the line and Tunisia was right to complain over the disallowed goal.

 

Following the resumption of play, Chikatara scored his fourth goal of the tournament after being set up by man of the match, Osas Okoro in the 51st minute. In the 70th minute, however,  Akaichi levelled things, turning sharply inside the box to fire home after he was set up by forward Essifi, who was brought in to bolster Tunisia’s attack.

 

Both sides pressed for the winner with the Tunisians getting the better chances but nothing came out of them. Observers expect both teams to progress to the quarter-finals after the final group games on Tuesday, January 26, when Nigeria battle Guinea and Tunisia face Niger Republic.