The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Tangiers, Morocco | AFP | Solitary goals brought Nigeria and Rwanda African Nations Championship victories after tight matches in Morocco on Friday, and a share of the Group C lead.
Sunday Faleye scored after a corner to give Nigeria a 1-0 win over Libya in a foul-littered first match of a double header in northern coastal city Tangiers.
Snaps from Rwanda 1-0 Eq. Guinea #TotalCHAN2018 #RWAEQG pic.twitter.com/OIE45WimyM
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 20, 2018
Later, Thierry Manzi also scored following a corner as Rwanda edged Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in a match that offered a little more excitement than the first.
Nigeria and Rwanda have four points and plus-one goal differences after two rounds, leaving them needing one point from their final fixtures to secure quarter-finals places.
The Nigerians meet already eliminated Equatorial Guinea next Tuesday at the same time as Rwanda face Libya, shock 2014 winners of a competition restricted to home-based footballers.
A top-two finish ensures entry to the knockout phase of the biennial tournament, and a victory for Libya would guarantee them one of the places.
An estimated 20,000 crowd — the biggest so far for a match not involving hosts and title favourites Morocco — were bitterly disappointed by the fare Nigeria and Libya offered.
Constant fouling meant the match never developed a rhythm and neither side created a clearcut scoring opportunity until Faleye netted 11 minutes from time.
Snaps from Libya 0-1 Nigeria #TotalCHAN2018 #LBYNGA pic.twitter.com/XHsKF9AW47
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 19, 2018
A corner was flicked into the path of the 19-year-old and his close-range poke gave Libya captain and goalkeeper Mohamed Nashnush no chance.
Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Miguel Eyama made several fine saves, but was powerless to prevent a glancing Manzi header finding the net on 66 minutes.
