Nigerian centre-back Semi Ajayi has said the team need to improve their ability to kill off chances after opening their 2025 AFCON campaign with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania on Tuesday, SportPremi reports.
The Super Eagles earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Taifa Stars in an entertaining affair at the Fez Stadium on Tuesday evening to begin their campaign on a good note.
Ajayi opened the scoring and while Tanzania briefly equalized in the second half, Ademola Lookman netted once again to put the Super Eagles back in front.
The win puts Nigeria level at the top of group C with Tunisia, who sealed a 3-1 win over Uganda, ahead of their top of the table clash on the 27th.
Nigeria seal crucial win in AFCON opener
Nigeria needed a win to kickstart their campaign at the 2025 African Cup of Nations and faced an opponent who they have never lost against.
The Super Eagles started in encouraging fashion, with Akor Adams having the first chance of the night but he was denied by the Tanzanian goalkeeper.
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Adams then beat the goalkeeper moments later, but his effort struck the crossbar as Nigeria continued to threaten.
Victor Osimhen then rounded the goalkeeper and looked set to open scoring, before his effort was cleared off the line by a defender.
However, Semi Ajayi rose highest to power home a header in the 36th minute after Samuel Chukwueze had fed Alex Iwobi who then played a brilliant cross into the box as Nigeria went into the break ahead.
Osimhen then found the back of the net early in the second half, but his effort was ruled out for offside, before Tanzania leveled matters after the Super Eagles defence attempt at keeping an offside trap failed.
They were only level for two minutes as Lookman scored a curler from the edge of the area after he had been teed up by the impressive Iwobi.
With no additional goals, Nigeria closed out a 2-1 win as they began their campaign on a great note.
Everything Semi Ajayi said
Semi Ajayi underlined his importance to the team and opened scoring with his second ever goal for Nigeria, potentially staking his spot as the preferred center-back partner for Calvin Bassey.
The defender did not put a foot wrong in the match, but believes his side could have done better in converting their chances.
“There are few things that we can improve but and also a lot of positives that we can take from the game as well”, Ajayi revealed.
“Like I said, we are definitely aware there are things that we need to do better like seeing out the game and also killing teams off. We will be working really hard on the training to put that right.”
On his goal for the Super Eagles
“It was an amazing feeling to score for your country and in such a game like this to get into such a really good start, I was really pleased. It shows that we are one team that cannot only rely on the attackers to get goals”, the Hull City defender continued.
I think we need to get goals from all over the team. We can get goals from the team. The defenders and midfielders, every need to chip in if we want to do well in the tournament. I am glad we got off to a good start.”
Nigeria will now shift their attention to the next group game against Tunisia on Saturday, as they eye qualification for the knockout rounds.
