Nigeria earned a third spot at the Africa Cup of Nations after a 1-0 victory over Tunisia at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday night.

Odion Ighalo’s early strike earned Nigeria the needed victory over the Carthage Eagles.

Nigeria have finished third eight times and have won the trophy three times, the last coming in 2013.

“We are satisfied with third place. We managed to beat Africa’s second best team. It was hard so we are good with it. I told the players that winning a small final is better than losing a big one. I am very positive about the future,” Said Rohr.

Ighalo cashed in on a defensive error when he stabbed in from two yards after goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia spilled Jamilu Collins’ cross and it hit defender Yassine Meriah.

It proved to be the winner as Ferjani Sassi and Ghailene Chaalali missed decent chances for Tunisia.

Cherifia also needed to thwart Samuel Chukwueze in the 63rd minute and he stopped Samuel Kalu making it 2-0 when he saved his late free-kick.

The former Watford forward scored in the third minute as to bag his fifth goal of the tournament and at the moment is the competition’s top scorer ahead of Friday’s final between Algeria and Senegal.

Kelvin Trudeau Musako

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