The Super Eagles of Nigeria began their AFCON 2025 campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tanzania in their Group C opener at the Complexe Sportif de Fès in Morocco. Despite securing the vital three points, the performance from Eric Chelle’s men left many questioning Nigeria's contender status, with contrasting fortunes for key players and noticeable defensive frailties.

Nigeria broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when defender Semi Ajayi powered home a header from a beautifully weighted cross delivered by Alex Iwobi. However, Tanzania, despite being the lowest-ranked team in Group C, responded strongly after the break. Just five minutes into the second half, Charles M’Mombwa found the back of the net, ghosting behind Zaidu Sanusi to restore parity with a volley. The decisive goal came shortly after in the 52nd minute, when Ademola Lookman picked up the ball, danced around his marker, and rifled home with his weak foot to secure the win for the Super Eagles.

Individual player performances were a major talking point. Alex Iwobi was undoubtedly Nigeria's best player, earning an 8/10 rating and the Pulse Sports' Man of the Match. He delivered a midfield masterclass, providing two exquisite assists – one for Ajayi's opener and another sublime through-ball for Lookman's winner. His performance drew comparisons to German midfield legend Toni Kroos. Ademola Lookman also shone, scoring the winning goal and continuing his strong AFCON form, being involved in almost all of Nigeria's attacks. Semi Ajayi, while scoring the opener, was decent defensively but had some unassured actions. He later noted that the team had anticipated a tough challenge from Tanzania, acknowledging their quality.

In contrast, Victor Osimhen had an underwhelming display, rated 4/10. Despite the official Opta count indicating only one big chance missed, he appeared overly eager with his shooting and lacked his typical pressing intensity, leading to questions about his form and a continuation of an 'AFCON curse' in major tournaments. Samuel Chukwueze was busy and a creative spark in the first half but also missed a clear scoring opportunity. Captain Wilfred Ndidi had a solid game in midfield, making key interceptions and ball recoveries.

The defense, however, was a significant concern. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali (4/10) looked shaky and showed poor awareness on Tanzania's equalizer. Bright Osayi-Samuel (5/10) was decent defensively but offered little going forward. Calvin Bassey (5/10) had an unconvincing game, appearing shaky and showing poor timing in critical defensive situations, including the conceded goal. Zaidu Sanusi (4/10) was described as