Nigeria came back in the first half and won the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2023 qualifier against Sierra Leone in Thursday’s Group A opener in Abuja.
With Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen scoring, the Super Eagles cut Jonathan Morsay’s lead and beat 2-1 under new coach Jose Peseiro at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
Leone Stars had a good chance to score the opening goal but home side goalkeeper Francis Uzoho stopped Mohamed Buya Turay’s shot heading for the top right corner.
Leone Stars scored the opening goal seven minutes later through Jonathan Morsay, who entered the pitch for the first time through Noah Chamber.
Nigeria came back in the first half and took down heavyweight side Sierra Leone in Abuja on Thursday in the opening match of Group A qualifiers for the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup.
Sierra Leone had to make a substitution after 15 minutes. Turay passes alone on the left but does not concentrate and passes in front.
Nigeria recovered and stabilized a minute later after overcoming fear.
Iwobi got his name on the scoreboard when he beat goalkeeper Mohamed Kamaran with his beautifully placed shot after setting up Moses Simon.
The Super Eagles stopped coming back four minutes before half-time when Osimhen headed in from Simon, leading the hosts.
In the second quarter, neither country managed to score; Despite Nigeria’s superiority, they didn’t get a single shot.
Meanwhile, in the second game of the group, Zinho Gano scored twice in the league, beating Guinea-Bissau 5-1 5-1 against Sao Tome and Principe and elegantly opening his account in the Group A match.
Guinea-Bissau coach Baciro Cande decided to fall in love with some of his team’s newer types when he made his league debut with teenager Mamadi Camara, Portuguese-born Dalcio Gomes and Zinho Gano.
After being relegated to Mauritius, Sao Tome entered the field with confidence and opened the goal with the first shot.
21 minutes into the game, Edmilson Viegas took the initiative and scored 0 – 1 after an elegant move down the middle.
Veteran striker Piqueti Djassi was twice a reporter for Gano. He scored twice in 8 minutes, with Djurtus leading in the 50th and 58th minutes.
Substitute Zidane Banjaqui increased the number in the 81st minute before Jorginho Intima sealed victory for Djurtus at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco a moment later.
Guinea-Bissau lead the bloc in the lead and Nigeria are second after the first round.
Sierra Leone host Stade General Lansana Conte of Guinea-Bissau in Conakry, while Nigeria travel to Sao Tome in the second round next Monday.