AFCON
NFF CEO, Sanusi praises one hundred per cent Super Eagles as Guinea Bissau fall
The Group D of the Africa Cup of Nations have been left with the carcasses of teams consumed by the Super Eagles.
The CEO of the Nigeria Football Federation, the brand custodian of the Super Eagles, Dr Mohammed Sanusi is in sky seven, loftily praising his boys for job well executed so far.
In a media release from Ademola Olajire, the NFF Director of Communications, Dr. Sanusi praised the Super Eagles’ buoyant play as Nigeria on Wednesday night became the first country at the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations to finish the group phase with one hundred per cent record.
Goals by Sadiq Umar and William Ekong saw off the ‘Wild Dogs’ of Guinea Bissau bullied into tucking their tails in between their hind limbs.
“It was an excellent performance by the Super Eagles and they have again won all their group phase matches as they did in Egypt in 2006, also under Eguavoen.
“The NFF is proud of the team’s outings so far and we believe it can go all the way.”
The Eagles had emerged group winners before taking to the turf of Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua, but needed to win for Head Coach Augustine Eguavoen to accomplish a repeat of his one hundred per cent group phase record set at the 25th AFCON in Egypt 16 years ago.
The former defender made eight changes to the starting line-up, but Nigeria still created a hatful of chances in the opening half-hour only for forward Sadiq Umar to fail to convert the opportunities, which mostly came his way.
In the third minute, he was slow to pull the trigger inside the opposition’s box, and 20 minutes later cocked up a great move and pass by midfielder Kelechi Nwakali.
Nine minutes earlier, defender Semi Ajayi had come close with a header from Nwakali’s corner. Just before half time, the Wild Dogs could have gone ahead when Fernando Barbosa Intima was presented a free sight of goal only for him to hit the ball fra away from where it could have troubled goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
In the second half, Nigeria stepped up a gear and it was left for Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored the only goal in the match against Egypt on the opening day, to take matters into his own hands.
He exchanged passes with midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and then slipped into the box to pop the ball past goalkeeper Maurice Gomis for Umar to have tap into the net. This was in the 55th minute
The introduction of the brilliant Moses Simon and Peter Olayinka in the 56th minute buoyed Nigeria’s forward play even more. But the Dogs could have equalized on the hour mark when a free kick by Samba Balde hit a Nigerian defender and sliced past Uzoho’s goalpost.
In the 75th minute, it was time for Simon to take matters into his own hands. He received the ball on the left wing and darted past three defenders before rocking the crossbar with a ferocious shot. The ball came off the underside of the bar, but Ekong was there to toe-poke into the net.
With 10 minutes left, Uzoho was rattled by a shot as the Dogs poured forward, but another defence –confounding run by Simon at the end almost gifted Nigeria a third goal.
The Eagles await one of the third –placed teams from any of groups B, E and F in Sunday’s Round of 16 at the now –familiar Stade Roumdé Adjia.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for their impressive performance in the 4–0 victory over Benin Republic, praising the team for keeping Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Adebayo Onanuga, the President lauded the players for their “hunger, passion, and determination” during the crucial qualifier in Uyo, describing their display as one that has “reignited Nigerians’ football pride.”
“While the job is not yet complete, I join millions of Nigerian football fans in wishing our team every success in the playoffs,” Tinubu said. “The mood across the country reflects a shared belief that Nigeria deserves a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico, and the United States will host.”
Reaffirming the government’s backing, President Tinubu assured the players and coaching crew of full Federal Government support as they prepare for the decisive play-off stage.
“Nigerians everywhere believe in you, and I do too,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you fly our flag proudly on the world stage.”
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The Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has announced a strong start to ticket sales, confirming that 58,000 tickets had been sold as of Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
According to an official update, the enthusiasm for the continental showpiece has also been reflected on the Yalla App, where 145,731 applications have been received so far. In addition, a total of 121,924 FAN IDs have been issued, including 31,058 belonging to foreign nationals representing 108 countries around the world.
In response to the overwhelming demand, the committee disclosed that technical teams are working round the clock to enhance the ticketing and FAN ID systems to ensure smooth processing for fans.
To assist applicants and ensure better communication, the organizers have provided a dedicated customer service line: +212 5 30 30 20 30. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Arabic, English, and French, and is staffed by over 600 agents trained to respond to inquiries and provide user support.
Fans can also reach the support team via email at info@yallamorocco.ma.
The Organizing Committee expressed gratitude to supporters, media representatives, delegations, and partners for their enthusiasm and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a seamless and memorable experience for all stakeholders during AFCON Morocco 2025.
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Ticket sales for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will officially open on Monday, 13 October 2025, with an exclusive 48-hour pre-sale window reserved for Visa cardholders, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced.
Fans across Africa and around the world will be able to secure their seats for what promises to be the continent’s biggest football spectacle, which will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The special Visa pre-sale period will run from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) until Wednesday, 15 October at 08:00 GMT, before general ticket sales open to all fans using other payment methods.
To streamline ticket purchases and enhance security, the Local Organizing Committee has launched the YALLA App, an integrated digital platform for fans to obtain their Fan ID — a mandatory requirement for buying tickets — and apply for E-Visas (AEVM) where necessary.
According to organizers, each registered Fan ID allows supporters to buy only one ticket per match, ensuring wider access and transparency in ticket distribution.
The process for obtaining tickets is straightforward:
- Download the YALLA App, available on Google Play and the App Store.
- Apply for a Fan ID and E-Visa (if required) through the app.
- Once approved, Visa cardholders can visit tickets.cafonline.com starting from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) to purchase their AFCON 2025 tickets.
The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is expected to deliver a festival of football and culture, with fans urged to complete their Fan ID registration early to avoid last-minute rushes.
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