{"id":6991,"date":"2025-12-30T20:24:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T20:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=6991"},"modified":"2025-12-30T20:24:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T20:24:47","slug":"nigeria-beat-uganda-3-1-to-head-into-afcon-last-16-with-perfect-record-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=6991","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria beat Uganda 3-1 to head into AFCON last 16 with perfect record | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Elsewhere in Group C, Tanzania scrape through to the knockout stages for the first time after 1-1 draw with Tunisia.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 30 Dec 2025<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">30 Dec 2025<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p class=\"p1\">Raphael Onyedika has scored twice, and Paul Onuachu has netted his first international goal in four years as already-qualified Nigeria overcame 10-man Uganda 3-1 to maintain a 100 percent record after the group stage and send the East African side home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Nigeria \u200dfinished \u2060top of Group C on Tuesday with nine points, followed by Tunisia in second with four and Tanzania, who reached the round of 16 as one of the four best third-placed \u200bsides after their 1-1 \u200cdraw with Tunisia, also on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p class=\"p1\">It was a dominant performance from Nigeria despite resting several regulars, having already been assured of the top spot \u200din the group.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">After Onuachu missed a simple chance midway through the first half, \u200bhe found the back of the net after 28 minutes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Fisayo Dele-Bashiru \u200cshowed quick feet on the left, and his pass in to Onuachu was perfect for the big forward to finish. The goal was the striker\u2019s first for Nigeria since 2021.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Uganda were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute \u200cwhen substitute goalkeeper Salim Jamal Magoola used his hands about 9 metres (10 yards) outside his area to stop a Victor Osimhen shot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Magoola had been \u200ca halftime replacement for injured starter Denis Onyango, so Uganda \u2060had to use their third goalkeeper in the game as Nafian Alionzi was brought on for midfielder Baba Alhassan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Nigeria scored their second goal in the 62nd minute when Onyedika took Samuel Chukwueze\u2019s pass and drilled his shot low through the legs of Alionzi.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Onyedika \u200cnetted his second five minutes later with a side-footed finish, Chukwueze again the provider with a pass from the right.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Uganda got a consolation goal with 15 minutes left as the Nigerian \u200ddefence momentarily went to sleep and Rogers Mato had time and space from Allan Okello\u2019s pass to lift the ball over the keeper and into the net.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Nevertheless, Nigeria have impressed in the group stage, having been losing finalists two years ago and following the shock of missing out on 2026 World Cup qualification.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Meanwhile, Tanzania reached the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time, 45 years after their maiden appearance, by coming from behind to draw 1-1 with fellow qualifiers Tunisia in Rabat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Feisal Salum\u2019s \u200cpowerful shot three minutes into the second half was enough to secure \u200cthe draw after Tunisia had been \u200cahead with a \u206043rd-minute penalty converted by Ismael Gharbi.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It \u200dwas only \u2060Tanzania\u2019s second point of the tournament but proved enough for them to advance as one of the four best \u200bthird-placed finishers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Tanzania have been trying since 1980 to advance beyond the group stage and have still to win a match in four appearances.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elsewhere in Group C, Tanzania scrape through to the knockout stages for the first time after 1-1 draw with Tunisia. Published On 30 Dec 202530 Dec 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Raphael Onyedika has scored twice, and Paul Onuachu has netted his first international goal in four years as already-qualified [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6991"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6991\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}