Odion Ighalo third-minute goal was enough for the three(3) time African Champions to beat Tunisia in the Afcon third-place playoff thus making Nigeria the highest third position gainer in AFCON. Ighalos gaol has put him in contention for the tournament golden boot due to the fact that he has scored five(5) goals, ahead of Sadio Mane(3), Ounas(3) and Riyad Mahrez(3) who will face off in Fridays' final.
The Shanghai Shenhua man, whose redemption is now complete, has now equalled Rashidi Yekini’s tally of five, from 1994, for a Nigerian player at an Afcon, while also becoming the first player to reach that tally since Gedo in 2010.
This is the 8th time Nigeria will be in third place in AFCON.
14 March 1976 Nigeria 3–2 Egypt
16 March 1978 Nigeria 1–0 Tunisia
25 January 1992 Nigeria 2–1 Cameroon
9 February 2002 Nigeria 1–0 Mali
13 February 2004 Nigeria 2–1 Mali
9 February 2006 Senegal 0–1 Nigeria
30 January 2010 Nigeria 1–0 Algeria
17 July 2019 Nigeria 1–0 Tunisia
However, Udinese centre back William Paul Troost-Ekong was awarded the man of the match.
