Key events
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
