Tanzania has made a disappointing start to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals currently underway in Morocco after losing 2–1 to Nigeria in their opening Group match.
The match, played at one of the tournament venues in Morocco, began at a high tempo with both sides attacking while remaining cautious at the back.
Nigeria, however, gradually asserted control of the game, creating more chances and putting sustained pressure on the Taifa Stars’ defence.
Nigeria’s dominance paid off in the 36th minute when Semi Ajayi scored the opening goal, giving the West African giants a deserved lead. The first half ended with Nigeria ahead 1–0 as the teams went into the break.
The second half started with renewed energy from Tanzania, who returned strongly and were rewarded in the 50th minute when Charles M’Mombwa found the back of the net to level the score.
The equaliser briefly lifted Taifa Stars’ confidence and raised hopes of a positive result.
However, Nigeria responded quickly. Just two minutes later, Ademola Lookman scored the second goal in the 52nd minute, restoring Nigeria’s lead.
From that point, Nigeria managed the game effectively, controlling possession and limiting Tanzania’s chances until the final whistle.
At the end of the 90 minutes, Nigeria secured a 2–1 victory and collected three important points, while Tanzania began their AFCON campaign without a point and will now be under pressure to recover in their next match.