Righto, that is us. Thanks for your company – bye.
And soon to kick-off:
Also going on:
So after the first round of games, hosts Ivory Coast top Group A with three points; Nigeria and EQ have one apiece, and Guinea-Bissau none.
Full time: Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
A terrific result and defensive effort from EQ, while Nigeria showed a few flashes but were otherwise laboured and poor.
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90+7 min EQ clear the corner, and that will be that! What an effort from the underdogs!
90+6 min Chukwueze goes forwards and backwards down the right, can’t find a gap, so passes backwards. The ball then goes left and a better cross sees Osimhen nod goalwards but without requisite power and Lookman also try to shoot in a scramble that earns a corner; this will be the final chance.
90+5 min Nigeria haven’t really piled men into the box and got the ball in among them, so EQ have defended pretty comfortably.
90+4 min Nigeria send on Onuachu for Iwobi, who’s been one of their better players.
90+3 min EQ replace Salvador with Nlavo. That should kill a few more seconds.
90+3 min Chukwueze again down the right, and again his pass is poor, allowing EQ to clear.
90+2 Excellent from Osimhen, who slides Chukwueze away down the right then hurtles towards the box … for a return-pass that never arrives.
90 min We’ll have six additional minutes. I’m so pleased these numbers now do more to reflect stoppages and timewasting.
90 min It’s cramp time, Salvador carried off and Ekong also limping.
88 min I wonder if Nigeria might look to get the ball into Osinhen earlier, or have him drop deep or pull wide, where he can better deploy his gas. I know he should be close to goal, but his barely been in the game and has plenty more to offer than hanging about waiting for someone to create something for him.
87 min But here they come now, Osimhen out to Chukwueze down the right, his cross blocked away by Orozco. This is easy for EQ.
86 min Change for EQ, Eneme on for Machin, using up yet more of Nigeria’s precious time. There’s no sense of building pressure or momentum.
85 min Onyeka powers through midfield so Balboa hauls him back by the waist and is booked.
84 min In fairness to Peseiro, I said he should’ve made changes earlier, but no one he’s brought on has made anything any better, so.
83 min Tow more changes for Nogeria, Bassey and Osayi-Samuel replacing the full-backs, Aina and Sanusi.
82 min …and again, they make nothing of it, Balboa heading clear.
81 min Aribo, out wide, reaches the ball before Nabil, nicks it past him and wears in the inevitable foul. Another chance for Nigeria to stick a ball into the EQ box…
78 min Nigeria needn’t panic if they don’t win here – it’s rare the side who play best in the group stages of a tournament are the side dancing about at full-time in the final; consider Argentina, beaten by Saudi in their first game of the World Cup. But this is an extremely incoherent display which suggests work is necessary, as well as time.
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76 min Iwobi, who’s had some good moments, gets time in midfield and slides a gorgeous pass through the middle; Osimhen is in! He allows ball into stride and does the keeper with the eyes, but then, as Owono launches towards the far post, he rolls wide of the near! What an oversight that is!
75 min Here come the changes, Ondo and Balboa for Buyla and Ganet.
74 min EQ are preparing changes while the camera picks out the wonderful Jay-Jay Okocha.
72 min EQ have disappeared most of the last 10 minutes, and will be thinking that if they can hang on here and beat Guinea-Bissau, they might make the last eight even if they lose to Ivory Coast.
70 min I know I keep banging on, but I’m surprised José Peseiro waited as long as he did to act. He’s got proper options on the bench and it’s not like his side have been pouring it on; they needed fresh impetus at half-time, never mind now.
68 min Ch ch changes: Nigeria remove Yusuf and the disapppointing Simon, replacing them with Chukwueze and Aribo.
66 min Nice from Aina, who pushes the ball one side of Ndong and runs down the other, only to drag a shot that’s easily saved. Meantime, Yusuf, who came back on, is down again, and that’ll be his afternoon – and perhaps tournament – done, I imagine. What a shame, he’s been excellent, and this is not the ending a fine debut deserves.
65 min Goodness me, Sanusi is booked for timewasting at a throw, when his side are chasing a goal. I don’t know, he was waiting for a decent run, but running down the clock he was not.
63 min Ganet heads away well, but Nigeria win a throw to keep EQ boxed. However, Yusuf – the best player on the park so far – is down with what looks like a quadricep or groin situation.
63 min Lookman is causing problems, and Ndong yanks down when he probes down the right; he’ll take the free-kick himself.
62 min Simon goes down the left, looking to attack Akapo, but he does well to stand up without diving in, and the attack peters out.
60 min Nice from EQ, Salvador and Ganet combining just outside the Nigeria box, but Ajayi quickly closes the door.
58 min Still no activity on the Nigeria bench. Which is a shame because I’d like a good shifty at their leisurewear, even if the heat makes trackies and big goats impossible.
56 min Nigeria win a free-kick down the right, Owono again coming and dealing with it well, fisting away. And in the repechage that follows, the Super Eagles can’t fashion a chance – though they look more dangerous now than in the first half.
55 min Here come Nigeria again, Lookman finding Osimhen in down the left! But again, Owono is out early, this time to the edge, unfurling a huge wingspan to block the attempted lift over him.
54 min Chalé! Nigeria break with Troost-Ekong, who slides early into Iwobi, who sends Sanusi through at inside-left! But rather than go alone – as he has to – he looks to square a return-pass that isn’t on, and when the ball squirts free to Looman, Coco making the challenge, Lookman lashes over the top.
52 min Again, Yusuf is the outlet, this time down the right, and he crosses looking for Osimhen, but Owono, whose proactivity is promising, dives early to claim low.
50 min Nice from Nigeria, Iwobi moving on to Simon out wide, who clips back to the edge, where Yusuf – playing well on debut – cushions a first-time volley in behind by way of return pass. Simon, though, doesn’t quite read it, and by the time he cottons on, the chance to do something with it has gone.
50 min Bikoro slides across the face of the box for Nsue, who thinks about a shot then lashes high and wide.
48 min Ndong slides down the line to Machin then, when Yusuf nicks the ball, there’s a minor altercation when Ndong fouls him, Aina also wanting in on things.
46 min Lookman is coming on to a decent game, and when Orozco stumbles on the ball, Osimhen pokes to him and he pokes wide.
46 min We go again…
Half-time entertainment: seeing as it’s Afcon, here’s a playlist of the best Afrobeats and amapiano – in mine, obviously – of 2023.
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Half-time: Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
A pretty fun half (of football) Nigeria controlling possession without creating loads and EQ threatening on the counter, scoring a nice opener immediately equalised. See you in 10 for the second period.
45+3 min better from Nigeria, a clever pass from Iwobi, through, the middle, allowing Osimhen to move wide to Simon, who shoots low and hard … but Owono does just about enough, diving to divert the ball against the near post for a corner which comes to nothing.
45 min We’ll have four added minutes.
44 min I’d be thinking about getting Chukwueze involved as soon as possible, now that you don’t ask, but also wonder if a proper centre-forward alongside Osimhen might also help because Nigeria should still be able to dominate possession polaying 4-4-2.
42 min I guess Nigeria will be kind of relieved to be level, because coming out for the second half against a side with a lead is a problem. Now, though, they can reset and come again – perhaps with an extra attacker on the pitch, because currently they’re not creating enough given how much of the ball they’re having.
40 min EQ will be raging they conceded so soon and so sloppily after going in front. How on earth was Osimhen left unattended five yard from goal?
GOAL! Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea (Osimhen 38)
So simple, so effect, so soon! Lookman, who’s been quiet so far, takes the ball down the left of the box, pulls outside Akapo, and stands up a cross towards the far post that Osinhen heads into an empty net. He, and the Super Eagles, are away!
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GOAL! Nigeria 0-1 Equatorial Guinea (Salvador 36)
AND NOW LOOK! Great work from Machin, who burrows into the box, on its left-hand side then, with the outside of his right boot, forces a square-pass for Salvador, who passes a fine finish inside the near post as the keeper moves towards the far.
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35 min A quiet period. Nigeria, though they’ve had loads of the ball, have created only one decent chance – which Sanusi ballooned over the top.
33 min Simon jinks down the right but his cross is blocked out of play. So Nigeria build again from the throw, Loookman drilling a low cross at which Onyeka lunges, only for Bikoro to get a leg in the road.
31 min Of course, Nigeria are missing Victor Boniface, who’s having such a great season for Leverkusen, but is now injured – as is Wilfred Ndidi.
30 min Yusuf moves upfield with the all so Salvador shoves him in the back. Again, I’d expect that to be a booking, but the ref settles for a final warning, and it’s nice to see such lenience.
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29 min Nigeria come again, Aina flipping over a cross from just outside the box, right-hand side, that Osimhen, forced to generate most of the power himself, heads wide of the far post from 12 yards.
27 min Time for a “cooling break” – which, in an incredible turn of events, doesn’t appear to be sponsored.
26 min Lookman takes a pass on the half-turn and moves away with it really nicely, so Bikoro scythes through him and is booked.
24 min Back on the pitch, Machin collects a loose ball on the edge of the box and mishits a shot wide from just outside the box. EQ are growing in confidence.
23 min Nigerian food, then. We’ll not revisit the jollof wars, and will just say if you’ve never had any, you should – with shito, a hot sauce that’s originally Ghanaian, but which is now all over the show; I got a recipe for it from an Ivorian chef just a few weeks ago.
21 min Lookman gets on the ball in midfield and clips a nice pass in behind – is Osimhen offside? – but in the meantime, he runs through, a defender hanging off him, before dragging a shot wide. The flag goes up, and he’ll be relieved, because he had time to time his run, and ought to have found a better finish.
20 min Nigeria have slowed a little.
18 min Coco brings theball out nicely, then plays a ludicrous square-pass that has Orozco nashing over in a panic to clear, before Iwobi can collect.
16 min EQ are in! A long goalkick is picked up by Nsue, running in behind, then, after turning inside Ajayi, he might shoot, but instead dives between Sanusi and Troost-Ekong. He’s penalised for handball in winning the initial challenge, but if I’m the ref – for avoidance of doubt, I’m not – I’m booking him anyway.
15 min I’m a little surprised Calvin Bassey is on the bench, because I think he’s Nigeria’s best centre-back. I’d also be looking for a way to get Samuel Chukwueze into the team, but him and Kelechi Iheanacho on the bench are decent options.
14 min The delivery isn’t bad, to the back post, and Troost-Ekong nobs back across then, when the ball’s half-cleared, Yusuf pokes over the bar.
13 min Sanusi, playing high and wide as a left-back, is soon back into the action, going outside Salvador and beating him, only to be hauled back by the shorts. That’s usually a booking, but this time the ref keeps his cards in his pocket and Sanusi prepares to send over an outswinger.
12 min Nigeria, by the way, have won Afcon thrice but not since 2013. They’ll know – in fairness, they almost always know – that this is a really good chance for them.
10 min What a miss Sanusi! Yusuf goes down the right and whips over a tremendous low cross that misses everyone in the middle, arriving at the back post where Sanusi just has to compose and pass inside the near post. But the panic sets in, the head goes back, and the finish wafts over the top.
7 min My coverage cuts out, but we’re back now, Ndong taking treatment for some kind of collision.
6 min It feels like a Nigeria goal is coming, Yusuf coming inside to curl in a cross which grazes the top of Osimhen’s head, forcing Owono to save at the far post. Ah, but Osimhen was offside – though the balance of play still suggests an opener is imminent.
5 min A poor kick from Owono goes straight to Iwobi, who immediately finds Osimhen with men in space on either side. But from 20 yards, he opts to try a curler, but instead of drawing it fades – well wide.
4 min First flash of EQ, Akapo moving down the right and drilling a cross to the near post, where Nwabali claims easily enough.
3 min Sanusi comes down the left and swings over a cross towards the back post, seeking Osimhen, but again Owono – who’s just 22 – is there to claim.
2 min Anyone been to EQ? I was in Portugal in the summer looking for dolphins, and the guide said the most he’s ever seen came off the cost there – though bigups were also given to Mauritania.
2 min Nigeria immediately get going, Iwobi leathering a bouncing ball from 20 yards that swerves a bit before Owono saves easily enough.
1 min And away we go!
Phew, we’re there now. The coverage reclons Nigeria are playing 4-3-3, which makes a fair bit mroe sense.
I’m struggling to get the coverage on to my computer, so for now it’s phone-based, but the teams are out and it’s anthem time.
Back to the tunes for a moment, if I may, there’s an Afcon connection to what might already be the single of the year: coming from Ghana to the world, Smallgod and Black Sherif’s ridiculously gorgeous Fallen Angel. Get involved, immediately.
BBC also have Iwobi down as the second coming of Matthias Sammer. I can’t wait to see how it works out.
While I investigate, here’s a playlist of Nigerian tunes – hastily assembled, so apologies for anything I’ve missed.
Yeah, that Nigeria lineup looks a little odd to me too; that’s how Google have them lining up, but I’d be less than shocked if, when the game starts, Alex Iwobi is not in fact playing as a libero.
Let's have some teams!
Nigeria (5-4-1): Nwabilli; Aina, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Iwobi, Sanusi; Yusuf, Lookman, Onyeka, Simon; Osimhen. Subs: Uzoho, Musa, Aribo, Chukwueze, Osayi-Samuel, Onyemaechi, Iheanacho, Onuachu, Awaziem, Bassey, Omeruo, Onyedika.
Equatorial Guinea (4-2-3-1): Owono; Akapo, Orozco-Fernandez, Coco, Ndong, Ganet, Bikoro, Buyla, Pepiun, Salvador; Nsue. Subs: Senra, Anieboh, Elo, Ondo, Embela, Balboa, Ela, Nlanvo, Eneme, Sapunga, Nabil, Siafa.
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Preamble
Greeting all and welcome to Nigeria v Equatorial Guinea!
The Super Eagles are one of the tournament favourites, and will feel confident of starting with a win against the rank outsiders known as the National Thunder – in order, says the Caf website, “to scare the opponents and anyone who wants to doubt them whatsoever”.
Your favourite turf accountants reckon both Morocco and Ivory Coast – who opened Group A last evening with a win over Guinea-Bissau – are more likely winners than Nigeria. But neither of those sides has a player remotely like Victor Osimhen, who might just make this tournament his own personal possession, and it’s especially hard to see how he might be stopped this afternoon.
However, tournament football history is, to large extent, defined by teams finding ways to play above themselves so, though EQ have a colossal task ahead of them, don’t be surprised if they make a decent fist of it – for a while at least.
Kick-off: 2pm GMT
