Nigeria began their campaign at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a 2-1 defeat of Tanzania in Fes, yesterday.

The Super Eagles were the overwhelming favourites to take the win, but after dominating the opening half of the game, the Nigerians could barely hold their own against a rejuvenated Taifa Stars, who surprised many in the second half with their determination to get something out of the Group C opening game.

Nigeria took the lead through defender Semi Ajayi, who nodded in an Alex Iwobi inswinger in the 35th minute of the game. That was a period when the Super Eagles made their superior rating count, creating many chances that would have ended the game as a contest in the first 45 minutes.

Before Ajayi’s goal, the Tanzanians had defended desperately, employing all means possible to stop the Victor Osimhen-led Super Eagles’ attack, which also had Akor Adams and Ademola Lookman.

Nigeria almost drew the first blood when Adams hit the crossbar in the 11th minute to signal the Super Eagles’ plan to get a nerve-calming goal off Lookman’s corner.

Twice Osimhen rounded the Tanzanian goalkeeper, but he lacked the composure to make the chances count.

The Tanzanians, who seemed to be overawed by their more renowned opponents, tried to come out of their shell after conceding the opening goal, but they failed to put their acts together in the Super Eagles end of the pitch.

Nigeria again wasted what would have doubled their lead before the break, as Samuel Chukwueze could not find the final touch after rounding his marker and coming face to face with Zuberi Foba in goal for the Taifa Stars.

The debuting Foba made two more terrific saves to deny Nigeria, first parrying a Chukwueze piledriver before tipping Osimhen’s deflected close-range shot from the rebound over the bar.

The first half ended 1-0 in Nigeria’s favour.

The Taifa Stars came out more purposeful in the second half, taking the fight to the Eagles, who seemed unprepared for the Tanzanians’ newfound grit.

However, the Taifa Stars could have gone a goal further down when Osimhen met a cross in the near post and made hay. But he was adjudged offside after a lengthy VAR check.

Tanzania were level six minutes into the second half when they confused Nigeria with five well-strung passes from left to right, leaving Charles M’Mombwa free to tuck in a Novatus Miroshi’s pass inside the box.

But the Tanzanians were level for just five minutes before Nigeria regained their lead through Ademola Lookman.

The Atalanta livewire collected a pass from Alex Iwobi, cut through the Tanzanian defence to unleash an unstoppable shot beyond the flailing arms of Foda to make scores 2-1.

The assist was Iwobi’s second of the night. Thereafter, the game became livelier, with the Tanzanians the more likely to score. They came narrowly close to achieving that when substitute Kelvin John, who plays for Danish side AaB, collected a pass from Alphonce Msanga and approached the penalty area on the right before rolling a shot wide of the far post.

The Tanzanians would go home thinking that they did not deserve to lose the game after so much effort in the second half.

Nigeria’s next game is against old foes, Tunisia, while Tanzania will meet Uganda same day.

The last time Nigeria met Tunisia at the African Cup of Nations, the Carthage Eagles ran away with a second round 1-0 win that sent the Super Eagles out of the competition hosted by Cameroon in 2021.