Nigeria v Tanzania live: Victor
Osimhen leads Super Eagles in
Africa Cup of Nations opener

Nigeria bid to put World Cup 2026
qualifying heartbreak behind
them and go one further than
last time in search of Afcon glory
View of the Fez Stadium, the
stage for today’s contest (AFP
via Getty Images)
Nigeria face Tanzania in their
Africa Cup of Nations 2025
opener looking to put World Cup
2026 qualifying heartbreak
behind them.
The Super Eagles will hope to
conquer Africa after going so
close last time out in the 2-1 final
defeat to Ivory Coast, with
fellow contenders Egypt up and
running after late drama last
night in
a 2-1 victory over
Zimbabwe, with Mohamed Salah
putting uncertainty over his
Liverpool future behind him to
strike for the Pharaohs.
Despite surviving CAF qualifying
and then snatching a dramatic
extra-time victory over Gabon in
the playoff semi-final, Nigeria
succumbed to DR Congo on
penalties, meaning two
successive World Cups without an
appearance.
Nigeria's 2-1 friendly loss to
Egypt before the tournament
has hit their momentum, but
expectations will be high ahead
of the opener against the Taifa
Stars, with Wilfred Ndidi leading
the Super Eagles and Victor
Osimhen tasked with firing them
to success up top.
Nigeria looking to put World Cup
woes behind them
It’s not been a pleasant few
months for Nigerian football,
whose recent times have been
defined by their ultimately
unsuccessful bid to save their
World Cup qualifying campaign.
Despite scraping into the CAF
play-offs in the qualifier before
snatching a dramatic extra-time
victory over Gabon in the semi-
final, Nigeria succumbed to DR
Congo on penalties, meaning
they will go two successive World
Cups without an appearance.
Their problem throughout
qualifying was too often the
failure to turn draws into wins,
something that cost them top
spot in their group and forced
them down the perilous play-off
route.
Afcon gives the Super Eagles a
shot at restoring pride - will they
take it?
Chancel Mbemba celebrates the
penalty that knocked out Nigeria
from World Cup contention - the
Democratic Republic of Congo
could be one of the teams to
watch (REUTERS)
Will Castle23 December 2025
16:37
Senegal double their lead
Afcon title hopefuls Senegal look
to have already got the job done
in Tangier as Nicolas Jackson
produced a composed finish to
double their lead and his own
tally against Botswana, making it
2-0.
In fact, the Bayern Munich striker
could’ve just notched his hat-
trick as he beared down on goal,
only to see his effort tipped
around the post.
Will Castle23 December 2025
16:28
Team news coming up
We should be expecting team
news to be revealed in the next
10 or so minutes.
In the meantime, here’s Nigeria
winger Chidera Ejuke’s message
to Super Eagles fans as the
players make their walk through
Fes.
Will Castle23 December 2025
16:20
Nigeria vs Tanzania: Who are the
ones to watch?
On paper, this afternoon’s
meeting in Fes is something of a
mismatch.
Nigeria are without question the
stronger team and go into the
tournament as one of the title
hopefuls, with their attacking
firepower arguably the best in
the competition.
Galatasaray marksman Victor
Osimhen will lead from the front
but will be supported by the likes
of Atalanta star Ademola
Lookman and dangerous Fulham
winger Samuel Chukwueze, with
his Whites teammates Alex Iwobi
also providing a creative threat
from deeper.
And while much of the Tanzania
squad won’t be recognised by
the average Premier League fan,
there are a few names that have
penetrated the English game.
Ally Samatta spent a few months
at Aston Villa in 2020 and is
currently at Ligue 1 club Le
Havre. Meanwhile, in the lower
leagues, pacey winger Tarryn
Allarakhia currently plies his
trade for National League
leaders Rochdale, and Haji Mnoga
has been at League Two side
Salford City since August 2024.
Samuel Chukwueze in action for
Nigeria (Getty Images)
Will Castle23 December 2025
16:15
State of play in Senegal vs
Botswana
In the precursor to this
afternoon’s clash between
Nigeria and Tanzania, Senegal
currently lead Botswana 1-0 in
Tangier.
Nicolas Jackson’s 40th-minute
goal is currently proving the
difference, with the game about
five minutes into the second
half.
(AP)
Will Castle23 December 2025
16:13
Mohamed Salah resumes role as
Egypt's eternal hero
Cometh the hour, cometh the
man.
Mohamed Salah snatched a
dramatic stoppage-time winner
last night as Egypt came from
behind to beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in
their first fixture at the Africa
Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Egypt captain, starting his
first game after four successive
matches on the bench at
Liverpool, fired home a left-
footed effort in the 91st minute
to earn the seven-times
champions a late victory after
Zimbabwe had stunned them by
going ahead in the first half.
Here’s a full rundown of the
action:
Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe: The
Pharaohs were frustrated for
long spells by Zimbabwe but
Salah’s stoppage-time winner
sealed a comeback victory
Will Castle23 December 2025
16:00
WATCH: Ayoub El Kaabi's
astonishing bicycle kick in Afcon
opener
It just gets better and better
every time you watch it. Ayoub El
Kaabi getting Afcon off to a
bang for hosts Morocco.
Will Castle23 December 2025
15:45
Today's order of play
Afcon is into its third day of
action with all eyes on who will
strike the first blows in Group C
and D.
The afternoon kicked off with
Group D’s opener as DR Congo
dispatched Benin 1-0 thanks to
Spartak Moscow winger Theo
Bongonda’s 16th-minute strike.
The game included VAR
controversy involving a
disallowed goal for Real Betis
veteran Cedric Bakambu, before
the technology system went out
of action for a period of the
second half.
We’re now about half an hour
into our second Group D game of
the day, with title contenders
Senegal taking on Botswana in
Tangier.
Then it’s to Group C, with Nigeria
looking to start their conquest of
Africa in flying fashion against
Tanzania from 5:30pm - we’ll
bring you all the action from that
one, right here.
And to finish off the evening,
Group C’s second outing contends
Tunisia and Uganda in Rabat,
kicking off at 8pm.
Will Castle23 December 2025
15:30
Afcon results so far
Sunday 21 December
Morocco 2-0 Comoros
Monday 22 December
Mali 1-1 Zambia
South Africa 2-1 Angola
Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe
Tuesday 23 December
DR Congo 1-0 Benin
Will Castle23 December 2025
15:15
Nigeria v Tanzania predicted line-
ups
Possible Nigeria XI: Nwabali;
Sanusi, Bassey, Ajayi, Osayi-
Samuel; Ndidi, Iwobi, Chukwueze,
Lookman; Osimhen, Adams
Possible Tanzania XI: Suleiman;
Kaponbe, Mwamnyeto, D. Job, M.
Husseini; N Miroshi, F Salum;
Msuva, M'Mombwa, Allarakhia;
Samatta
Nigeria players pose for a team
group photo before facing Egypt
(REUTERS)
Nigeria bid to put World Cup 2026
qualifying heartbreak behind
them and go one further than
last time in search of Afcon glory
Nigeria face Tanzania in their
Africa Cup of Nations 2025
opener looking to put World Cup
2026 qualifying heartbreak
behind them.
The Super Eagles will hope to
conquer Africa after going so
close last time out in the 2-1 final
defeat to Ivory Coast, with
fellow contenders Egypt up and
running after late drama last
night in
a 2-1 victory over
Zimbabwe, with Mohamed Salah
putting uncertainty over his
Liverpool future behind him to
strike for the Pharaohs.
Despite surviving CAF qualifying
and then snatching a dramatic
extra-time victory over Gabon in
the playoff semi-final, Nigeria
succumbed to DR Congo on
penalties, meaning two
successive World Cups without an
appearance.
Nigeria's 2-1 friendly loss to
Egypt before the tournament
has hit their momentum, but
expectations will be high ahead
of the opener against the Taifa
Stars, with Wilfred Ndidi leading
the Super Eagles and Victor
Osimhen tasked with firing them
to success up top.