AFCON
NIGERIA AND LAST MINUTE GOALS AT AFCON
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Sunday’s last minute goal for Algeria was not the first of such to be conceded by Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, even though, Super Eagles have also profited from the cliff-hanging situations as the clock ticked down.
It is well known that it was the last minute goal against South Africa that shut them into the semi finals. Also in 2008, it was the late minute goal that Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored against Benin Republic that earned Nigeria a passage into the knockout stage on goal difference over Mali.
Two years earlier in Egypt, even though Nigeria had won their two group games against Zimbabwe and Ghana, the Super Eagles were at the risk of possible elimination going into the third match with Senegal.
Senegal had beaten Zimbabwe 2-0 before losing 1-0 to Ghana. With that scenario, all possibilities were open for Zimbabwe to advance, should they beat Ghana and if Nigeria beat Senegal silly.
Similarly, Nigeria’s advancement was at risk had they lost to Senegal by at least two goals and also Ghana beating Zimbabwe by the same margin or more. The three tops teams would have ended with six points apiece.
Nigeria would have been eliminated on goal difference. Zimbabwe did the unexpected beating Ghana 2-1 in Ismalia. With the match and that of Nigeria and Senegal going on simultaneously, Senegal took an early lead before Nigeria leveled up 11 minutes to regulation time.
But a win was needed for Nigeria to advance. The needed goal only came two minutes to end the game. That was not the first time Nigeria had a late goal against Senegal.
On their home soil in Dakar, Stephen Keshi fired a long range shot that enabled Nigeria get a 89th minute goal with which the host team was defeated in the opening game of 1992 Africa Cup of Nations.
Was it history repeating itself at the semifinals when a dying minute robbed Nigeria a place in the final on Sunday? It was also so in 1976 when Guinea’s Papa Camara’s last minute goal confined Nigeria to struggle for third a third=place match with Guinea.
Ahead of Nigeria’s match with Tanzania in a Group C contest at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, Goldberg Lager Beer has launched a nationwide fan engagement campaign designed to mobilise support for the Super Eagles and rekindle the passion that drove the team to the final of the last tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles have been drawn in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania, a pool widely regarded as one of the most competitive at the tournament.
Nigeria will begin their AFCON 2025 campaign against Tanzania on December 23 at the Complexe Sportif de Fès, before taking on Tunisia on December 27 and wrapping up the group stage against Uganda on December 30.
Goldberg’s campaign, themed ‘Our Beat, Our Gold’, is built around the rhythm, pride and resilience that unite Nigerians through football. The initiative positions the brand as a central part of the AFCON experience, combining live match viewing with music, entertainment and consumer rewards.
A flagship viewing centre will be hosted at the Police College in Ikeja, Lagos, with activities starting from 4:30 pm and free admission for fans.
This Lagos hub will be complemented by a network of fan parks and mini viewing centres across the country, extending the match-day experience to both major cities and regional communities.
According to the organisers, the activations aim to transform key locations nationwide into vibrant communal spaces on Nigeria’s match days, allowing supporters to come together in lively and safe environments to cheer on the Super Eagles.
The viewing centres are being designed as immersive cultural spaces where football meets entertainment.
Fans will enjoy live match action alongside music, dance, comedy performances and interactive games, with promotions and instant rewards enhancing the atmosphere.
The objective, Goldberg said, is to recreate the emotional intensity of the stadium experience for supporters watching away from the match venues.
“Our Beat, Our Gold is about capturing the rhythm of the Nigerian spirit,” said Maria Shadeko, Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries Plc. “Football has a unique way of bringing us together. At the last AFCON, we saw how belief, passion and unity carried the Super Eagles all the way to the final. As the team prepares for action in Morocco, Goldberg is once again creating spaces where Nigerians can gather, celebrate and push our Eagles towards a fourth AFCON title.”
Beyond fan-facing activities, the campaign also features strong trade and distributor engagement.
Through the Road to Morocco hospitality contest, Goldberg is rewarding top-performing distributors across the West and East zones with exclusive AFCON-related incentives.
The initiative is expected to boost sales performance while aligning the brand’s commercial goals with Nigeria’s continental football journey.
With AFCON 2025 fast approaching, Goldberg’s campaign aims to ensure that wherever Nigerians are watching from, the beat of support for the Super Eagles remains loud, unified and unmistakably gold.
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Mali will be without Yves Bissouma for their opening Africa Cup of Nations game on Monday, but coach Tom Saintfiet is confident the midfielder will make a positive contribution at the tournament in Morocco.
Bissouma is one of three players unavailable for the Group A match against Zambia in Casablanca along with central defender Sikou Niakate and right back Hamari Traore.
Bissouma, 29, has yet to feature for his club Tottenham Hotspur since being dropped before the Super Cup clash with Paris St Germain in August, and underwent ankle surgery after suffering an injury playing in a World Cup qualifier.
His 72 minutes against Madagascar in October was the only action he has seen this season.
Saintfiet said on Sunday that Bissouma was training and could be considered for their second group game against hosts Morocco in Rabat on Friday.
“In many major tournaments, some players start with injuries and then become most dangerous in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, or final,” the Mali coach said.
“Yves is my captain, he’s important, he’s the leader of our team and we have assurances that Yves will be ready during the tournament.
“When the matches get tougher, we’ll be glad to have him with us. We need a captain who’s present both mentally and physically,” Saintfiet added.
-Reuters
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Zambia coach Moses Sichone will on Monday finally get the opportunity to be on the bench in charge of his team for the first time on Monday after missing his debut last month.
Zambia take on Mali in Casablanca in the Africa Cup of Nations Group A after hosts Morocco beat Comoros 2-0 in Sunday’s tournament opener in Rabat.
Sichone was appointed in November as successor to Avram Grant, who left the Zambia job in late October after a poor run of results in World Cup qualifying, less than two months before the Cup of Nations in Morocco was due to start.
Former Bundesliga defender Sichone suffered food poisoning and was bedridden when Zambia played South Africa in a friendly, and he was admitted to the hospital while his team travelled to Angola for another warm-up game.
-Reuters
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