Ajayi and Lookman goals power Nigeria past Tanzania

Live Coverage

Tunde Ososanya and Adesola Ikulajolu

1. 23 December 2025Super Eagles begin Afcon 2025 wit victory, Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

   Goals from Semiu Ajayi and a strike from Ademola Lookman help Nigeria overcome Tanzania 2-1 for dia opening match of Group C.

   Di Super Eagles bin take di lead on 36th minute through Ajayi headed effort from Iwobi cross.

   Mombwa break Nigeria offside trap to tap home di equaliser to di shock of di Super Eagles.

   Two minutes late, Ademola Lookman wonderful strike from outside di box see Nigeria retake di lead which dem hold onto to win dia opening match of Afcon 2025.

2. 23 December 2025FULL-TIME, Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

   Nigeria record dia first win of di 2025 Africa Cup of Nations wit a 2-1 win over Tanzania.

   Goals from Ajayi and Lookman help Nigeria begin di tournament wit a win. Mombwa bin equalise for Tanzania but di Super Eagles soar past di Taifa Stars.

3. 23 December 2025, 90 mins

   We don enter di final minutes of dis match.

   Di ref don add three minutes before full time.

   Tanzania use di opportunity to make change, Mombwa don come off for Kibu.

4. 23 December 2025, 88 mins

   Abdallah try to take advantage of chaos inside di Nigeria defence. Im benefit from loose ball wey di Super Eagles fail to clear, but e shot rise high and over.

5. 23 December 2025, 85 mins

   Tanzania make attempt from outside di box through Kelvin John low shot, e trickle wide.

   Nigeria still lead 2-1 as we enter di last five minutes of regulation time.

   Meanwhile Onuachu don replace Osimhen.

6. 23 December 2025, 82 mins

   Osayi-Samuel try to find Osimhen wit a good cross, di striker hold up di ball well but later lose am.

   Di ball fall into Dele-bashiru path, e later shoot am into di diving arms of Foba. Good save.

   Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

7. 23 December 2025SUBSTITUTION, 79 mins

   Tanzania make more changes.

   Allarakhia and Kapombe don leave di pitch. Job and Mnoga don take dia place.

   Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

8. 23 December 2025, 71 mins

   Nigeria look to rush things up with some quick transitions.

   Lookman stride into di midfielder and try to find Osimhen wit a through ball, im effort dey too heavy and Osimhen too don enter offside.

   Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

9. 23 December 2025, 67 mins

   Iwobi! Too high.

   Di midfielder blaze im left footed strike high over di bar.

   Osimhen bin dey ask for am to square di ball.

10. 23 December 2025SUBSTITUTION, 62 mins

    Tanzania make dia first substitution.

    Msuva don come off, Kelvin John don enter di match.

11. 23 December 2025GREAT SAVE!, 61 mins

    Foba produce a good save to deny Lookman from increasing Nigeria lead.

    Di goalkeeper use one hand tip over Lookman shot out for cornerkick.

    Nothing come from di cornerkick.

    Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

12. 23 December 2025SUBSTITUTION, 59 mins

    Moses Simon and Dele-Bashiru replace Chuwkueze and Adams

13. 23 December 2025YELLOW CARD, 57 mins

    Lookman receive di game first yellow card.

    Di forward mistakenly stand on di leg of di Tanzania midfielder.

    Nigeria wan make changes.

14. 23 December 2025, 56 mins

    Osimhen look dangerous, im presence force di Tanzanian defender Mwamnyeto to head a cross clear for corner.

    Tanzania clear di cornerkick well.

    Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

15. 23 December 2025GOAL, 52 mins

    Loooooookman!

    Nigeria retake di lead wit superb strike from Ademola Lookman.

    Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

16. 23 December 2025GOAL, 50 mins

    Tanzania equalise!

    Mmbonbwa capitalise on Nigeria defence wey dey sleep and slide in di ball past Nwabali.

    Nigeria 1-1 Tanzania

17. 23 December 2025Second half resume, 46 mins

    Tanzania don get di ball rolling again as di second half resume.

    Nigeria 1-0 Tanzania

18. 23 December 2025Tanzania and Nigeria fans show up for stadium wit hope, Nigeria 1-0 Tanzania

    

    Wia dis foto come from, Mobolaji Olatunde/BBC

    Fans of di Taifa Stars of Tanzania show for Complexe Sportif de Fès stadium for Morocco.

    Dem come show support for dia team for di ongoing Afcon.

    Game between Nigeria and Tanzania no be one wey dey common like dat but di Tanzanian fans go like see make dia team win.

    Dat ask go dey too far as dia team need to rally demsefs for di second half to turn dis one around .

    Na 45 years ago Nigeria and Tanzania bin meet last for di Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

    

    Wia dis foto come from, Mobolaji Olatunde/BBC

    

    Wia dis foto come from, Mobolaji Olatunde/BBC

    

    Wia dis foto come from, Mobolaji Olatunde/BBC

19. 23 December 2025HALF-TIME, Nigeria 1-0 Tanzania

    Osimhen try overhead kick from inside di eighteen-yard box, Foba save am again.

    Dat na di last action for dis half as di ref blow im whistle to end di half.

    Nigeria lead at di break through Ajayi goal on di 36th minute.

20. 23 December 2025GREAT SAVE!, 45+1 mins

    Into added time before halftime.

    But before di interval Ndidi waya better shot from outside but Foba save am well into di path of Chukwueze.

    Di winger squeeze di rebound goalwards but di keeper save am again.

    Wow!