Nigeria’s Super Eagles returned to winning ways in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, as substitute Tolu Arokodare delivered a decisive second-half performance with two goals.
Following their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in September, Eric Chelle’s men needed a strong response in front of their home supporters, and they made the perfect start by taking the lead inside the opening two minutes.
The Super Eagles immediately put Tanzania under pressure, with Ademola Lookman providing the assist for Alhassan Yusuf, who finished the attacking move to give Nigeria an early advantage in the second minute.
The hosts continued to dominate possession, looking confident in their attacking approach as Tanzania struggled to establish control of the contest.
However, Nigeria’s promising start was interrupted in the 12th minute when Yusuf, despite being the goalscorer, received a yellow card.
Tanzania gradually grew into the encounter and began looking for opportunities to exploit spaces in the Nigerian defence. The visitors attempted to threaten Stanley Nwabali’s goal, although one of their efforts in the 29th minute went wide without troubling the goalkeeper.
Their persistence eventually paid off three minutes later when Alphonce Msanga restored parity for the visitors.
The Tanzanian midfielder found the net in the 32nd minute after receiving an assist from N. Miroshi, punishing Nigeria for failing to protect their early advantage and bringing the contest back to life at 1-1.
The equaliser appeared to unsettle the Super Eagles, who struggled to reproduce the attacking urgency they displayed during the opening exchanges.
Nigeria attempted to regain the lead through Lookman, who had an opportunity in the 38th minute after Alex Iwobi picked him out inside the penalty area. However, his effort was blocked by a timely sliding challenge from the Tanzanian defence.
Despite Nigeria’s attempts to restore their advantage before the interval, Tanzania remained organised, and both teams went into the break level after five minutes of added time.
Chelle responded with two changes at the start of the second half, introducing Tolu Arokodare for Tochukwu Nnadi and Moses Usor for goalscorer Yusuf.
The substitutions immediately transformed Nigeria’s attacking threat, with the Super Eagles showing greater urgency and purpose in their forward movements.
Their improved approach produced the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when Arokodare restored Nigeria’s lead.
The Genk striker made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, converting a well-delivered pass from captain Wilfred Ndidi to put the hosts ahead 2-1.
The goal gave Nigeria renewed confidence, and Arokodare was not finished yet.
Eight minutes later, the forward struck again to extend the Super Eagles’ advantage and complete his brace.
This time, fellow substitute Moses Usor provided the assist, as the two second-half introductions combined brilliantly to produce Nigeria’s third goal in the 60th minute.
Arokodare’s double gave the hosts a comfortable 3-1 cushion and effectively shifted the momentum firmly in their favour.
Tanzania attempted to respond by making changes in the 66th minute, introducing fresh players through a triple substitution as they searched for a way back into the contest.
The visitors increased their attacking efforts in the 73rd minute, pushing forward with a series of dangerous moves and crosses. However, Nigeria’s defensive organisation remained solid, with the Super Eagles dealing with the threats without allowing Tanzania to reduce the deficit.
Chelle subsequently introduced Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for Akor Adams in the 78th minute as Nigeria looked to maintain control during the closing stages.
Tanzania made another change six minutes later, but their attempts to mount a comeback failed to produce the desired result.
With victory increasingly within reach, Nigeria made a late defensive adjustment in stoppage time, bringing on Semi Ajayi for Ola Aina in the 93rd minute.
The final whistle confirmed a valuable 3-1 victory for the Super Eagles, giving the home supporters plenty to celebrate after a second-half performance that demonstrated the importance of Chelle’s tactical changes.
The result moves Nigeria to six points in Group L, one behind leaders Guinea-Bissau, who have seven points. Madagascar occupy third position with two points, while Tanzania remain bottom with one point.
Nigeria also recorded 65 per cent possession, seven shots on target from 13 attempts, while Tanzania managed two shots on target from eight attempts.
For Arokodare, the evening represented an important statement of his attacking qualities, with the striker making the difference after being introduced at half-time.
His two goals also highlighted the impact of Nigeria’s bench, as Usor contributed an assist while Ndidi played a key role in the second-half turnaround.
The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to the return fixture against Tanzania, scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, in Zanzibar, where they will seek another victory to strengthen their position in the race for the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
For Chelle and his players, the victory in Uyo is an important step towards rebuilding confidence after their disappointing defeat in Guinea-Bissau. More importantly, Nigeria have shown that their substitutes can provide the decisive spark when the team needs it most.
