AFCON 2027 Race: Arokodare’s brace earns Super Eagles 3-1 win over Tanzania

Two goals within eight minutes early in the second half by substitute Tolu Arokodare saw the Super Eagles soar to a 3-1 win over Tanzania’s Taifa Stars in their Day 3 encounter in the ongoing race for places in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

Three-time African champions Nigeria got off to a quickfire start when US-based midfielder Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi wasted no time in lashing the ball into the net from a swift break to the fore which saw Ademola Lookman locate him in the box.

Alphonce Mabuma Msanga capitalised on a slip in the Nigerian midfield to score the equalizer in the 32nd minute, but the Eagles responded well with purposeful play at the beginning of the second half and never looked back.

Arokodare, who joined the fray at the beginning of the second period, scored with a smooth back-flick in the 52nd minute from a pass by captain Wilfred Ndidi, as Nigeria again broke forward.

Eight minutes later, it was 3-1, with Ajax Amsterdam forward Arokodare slotting past the visiting goalkeeper easily after a Tanzanian defender missed a pull-out from the left by another substitute Moses Usor.

Usor, who scored the Super Eagles’ winner against Madagascar on the opening day of the qualifying race, also at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, caused the Taifa Stars all sorts of problems from both wings, switching from either side as he pleased and leaving the defenders in his trail.

Arokodare could have made it a hat-trick later on, but the visiting goalkeeper read his move well from a one-on-one.

Victory wiped off the heavy goals deficit from the three-goal reverse against Guinea-Bissau on Day 2 of the campaign, and restores confidence in the Nigerian camp ahead of Tuesday’s return against the Taifa Stars in Zanzibar.

Presently, only a point separates the Eagles from group leaders Guinea-Bissau, who were pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Madagascar in their Day 3 match in Meknes on Thursday.