Goal

List of goalscorers

Ighalo
77'
1 - 0
Press

Match report in news

  • Finished
    Thank you for joining us tonight, and we'll see you again soon for more AFCON coverage!
  • Finished
    Nigeria hold on to get the win! It was a far from unconvincing performance from the Super Eagles against a plucky Burundi side who gave a good account for themselves on their AFCON debut, but Ighalo's 77th minute strike is enough to secure the all-important three points!
End of match

End of match

  • 90'
    FT: Nigeria 1-0 Burundi!
  • 90'
    One final chance for Burundi as Bigirimana's corner is headed over at the near post.
  • 90'
    A nice passing move sees Amissi slid in down the right of the box, but he miscontrols and Nigeria scramble it behind for a corner. Last chance for Burundi this...
  • 90'
    Berahino makes way for Mohamed Amissi.
  • 90'
    Three minutes of added time in Alexandria.
  • 88'
    Chance for Burundi!! Duhayindavy finds himself with tonnes of space on the edge of the area, but he inexcusably scuffs his left-footed effort and it rolls slowly into the keeper's hands.
  • 86'
    Ighalo makes space with a smart turn before trying his luck from 25-yards out, but his well-struck effort flies over the top of the crossbar.
  • 85'
    Burundi have a couple of efforts blocked from the resulting corner, before Nigeria win a free-kick as Awaziem is on the end of an ambitious overhead kick effort.
  • 84'
    Firston has looked lively all day, and beats Troost-Ekong with a clever dummy as he bursts into the box. Nigeria manage to crowd him out and force a corner.
  • 81'
    Troost-Ekong is currently receiving treatment off the pitch. He should be ok to continue, however, or Nigeria will be forced to finish the game with ten men.
  • 79'
    Space in behind now!! Musa gets away down the left, but Nahimana stops him from a tight angle and Iwobi's subsequent effort is blocked.
  • 78'
    Akpeyi once again makes a hash of things, dropping a cross straight to Berahino, although Nigeria manage to scramble clear.
Goal
Goaaaaaal!
de Nigeria en el 77'
  • 77'
    GOAAAAAL FOR NIGERIA! IGHALO SCORES! Ola Aina slides a clever backheel into the box as he cut in from the left side of the pitch. The Burundi defender stretches but can't reach it, and Ighalo is on hand to curl a finish into the far corner from a slight angle.
Substitution

Substitution

at Burundi
  • 76'
    Second change for Burundi as S Nahimana is replaced by Nduwarugira.
  • 75'
    Iwobi finds Ighalo with a great ball in from the left, but his touch is poor and it escapes him in the area.
  • 74'
    The sweltering heat seems to be taking its toll, with both teams starting to look leggy.
  • 72'
    Onuachu, who has been anonymous this half, is replaced by former Watford striker Odion Ighalo.
  • 69'
    Firston tries a shot from distance and Akpeyi makes a mess of it and concedes a corner.
  • 68'
    Burundi pinned back in their own half now, with Nigeria raising the tempo with some quick passing. Chukwueze goes on a mazy run that seems him end up on the left of the box, but his shot choice is strange as he tries to chip the goalkeeper, who was on his line, and the ball sails harmlessly over.
  • 65'
    Musa shows his pace as he knows the ball past Moussa and runs into the box, but he can only win a corner.
  • 64'
    Firston wins the ball back high up the pitch for Burundi, but the attack ends with a disappointing shot wide from distance. Clever pressing again from the debutants.
  • 62'
    S Nahimana enters the book for a late sliding lunge on Ndidi.
Substitution

Substitution

at Nigeria
  • 58'
    Burundi make their first change as the brilliantly named Elvis Kamsoba replaces Mustafa.
  • 57'
    Mikel trots off and is replaced by Ahmed Musa. A bit more pace injected into Nigeria's attack now, you would think...
  • 56'
    Nigeria with lots of the ball, but Burundi are disciplined and are pressing in the right areas to make life tough for the Super Eagles here.
  • 52'
    Set pieces are looking Nigeria's best bet at the moment, with their height advantage causing problems at nearly every corner or free-kick. The 6ft 7 Onuachu is a particular threat in the air...
  • 51'
    Big chance for Nigeria! Etebo swings a free-kick from the left to the back post, but an unmarked Omeruo heads it over from close range.
  • 49'
    Bigirimana, who has been everywhere in midfield today, breaks forward and has options, but his pass to Berahino on the left is poor and the attack breaks down.
  • 48'
    Burundi win a free-kick down the left, which Amissi takes and tries to catch Akpeyi out with a low shot at the near post. The goalkeeper gets down low and pushes it behind for a corner.
  • 45'
    Back underway in Alexandria! Will we see a goal in this second half?
  • 45'
    HT: Nigeria 0-0 Burundi! A surprisingly even half here in Alexandria, where Nigeria have dominated the ball but have not created too much from open play. Burundi for their part have been impressive, and had a great chance to take the lead through Amissi earlier on. See you in 15 for more.
  • 45'
    Mikel shows once again why he's never been an attacking midfielder at club level as he stands on the ball and trips over whilst leading a promising attack. Nigeria have lacked quality for much of this first half.
  • 45'
    Two minutes of added time here.
  • 44'
    Duhayindavy is fine to carry on, whilst Chukwueze wastes the free-kick he won with a shocking delivery that didn't leave the floor.
  • 43'
    Chukwueze does well down the right to beat two and cut inside, but is fouled by Duhayindavy just to the right of the box. The Burundi left-back may have done himself some damage with that tackle.
  • 41'
    Shehu goes down and Nigeria are calling for a stretcher. Not immediately obvious what the problem is here, but Chidozie Awaziem is coming on to replace him at right-back.
  • 38'
    Nsabiyumva rises highest at a free-kick swung in from the left, and his looping header seems to take an age to clip the crossbar and fall to a red shirt on the left of the box, but the rebound effort is blocked bravely. Akpeyi may have got a hand to that header.
  • 35'
    What a sitter from John Obi Mikel! He finds himself completely unmarked in the six-yard box after Iwobi's corner from the left, but he somehow manages to head the ball wide under no pressure whatsoever.
  • 33'
    A dangerous Nigeria attack ends when Iwobi's teasing cross from the left is headed away by Ngandu. Burundi's insistence on leaving two up top is leaving them slightly open when Nigeria do look to break quickly.
  • 28'
    Bigirimana opts to try his luck with a powerful free-kick from 30 yards. It's straight at Akpeyi, but he palms it away unconvincingly to the right. He does look somewhat shaky in the Nigeria goal.
  • 27'
    A tidy turn from Iwobi in the box sees him beat his man and cut the ball back to Chukwueze, but the winger can only blaze his effort from behind the penalty spot miles over the bar. Decent chance that.
  • 25'
    A flowing Nigeria move sees the ball fall to Onuachu on the edge of the box, but he chooses to shoot on the turn rather than find Iwobi in space down the left, and his effort is easy enough for Nahimana in the Burundi goal.
  • 24'
    A few pesky fouls from Burundi breaking up Nigeria's rhythm here. They will be the happier side with the first 25 minutes.
  • 21'
    Burundi look well organised here and dangerous on the break with their two strikers up top, but they will have to keep their concentration for the full 90 minutes to keep Nigeria out.
  • 18'
    Clumsy footwork from Akpeyi sees him miscontrol the ball whilst trying a Cruyff turn in his area and gives Burundi a cheap corner. For Nigeria's sake, let's hope he's better with his hands than his feet.
  • 13'
    Huge chance for Burundi immediately up the other end!! A clever chipped through ball from Nahimana down the middle finds Amissi breaking into the area. His first touch is excellent, but he hits his powerful volley straight at Akpeyi in the Nigeria goal, who parries but keeps hold of it at the second opportunity.
  • 12'
    Chance for Onuachu! A long throw from the right is flicked on, but Onuachu can only direct his free header straight at the goalkeeper.
  • 11'
    Heavy tackle by Mustaga on Aina down the right - the Burundi man is lucky to get away without a card there.
  • 8'
    First corner of the game for Nigeria as Bigirimana stops Chukwueze down the right, but Onuachu heads wide after a dangerous ball in from the Villarreal forward. The ball was a bit high for him, but he'll be disappointed he didn't do better there.
  • 5'
    Good work from Chukwueze down the right sees him cut inside with a couple of stepovers, but his left-footed effort is blocked by Nsabiyuma and squirms into the keeper's hands.
  • 4'
    First effort (of sorts) on goal as the towering figure of Onuachu tries a tough header under heavy pressure from the edge of the box after a cross from the left, but the ball dribbles wide of the goal where goalkeeper Nahimana picks it up.
  • 3'
    A few long balls in the first couple minutes here as neither team have settled on the ball yet, before Burundi's keeper gets away with a scuffed clearance along the floor.
  • 1'
    Underway here, with Nigeria kicking from left to right in the first half.
Start of match

Start of match

  • PRVW
    Nigeria are in THAT green and white kit that was so popular during the World Cup last year, whilst Burundi are in a red top with small white dots covering the bottom half - not quite so easy on the eye.
  • PRVW
    A very empty stadium here in Alexandria for this Group B opener - some contrast to Egypt's first match yesterday, then.
  • PRVW
    Burundi's turn now, with Berahino singing along proudly...
  • PRVW
    National anthems ringing out here, Nigeria's up first...
  • PRVW
    Less than ten minutes until kick-off here...head over to our Facebook page to send in your score predictions!
  • PRVW
    Remarkably, this is Burundi's first ever AFCON tournament, whilst Nigeria will feel they have a point to prove after missing the last two editions and putting in a disappointing showing at last year's World Cup.
  • PRVW
    The biggest name in Burundi's side is Stoke City striker Saido Berahino. The former England youth international has suffered a torrid time of things over the past few seasons, scoring just three goals in 51 appearances for Stoke, but will be hoping to fire Burundi to an expected win tonight in Egypt.
  • PRVW
    So, two time champions Nigeria start with Arsenal's Alex Iwobi and Villarreal's breakthrough talent Samuel Chukwueze on the wings and Paul Onuachu leading the line ahead of former Chelsea defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel playing as a number 10 - yes you read that right.
  • PRVW
    Burundi: Nahimana, Moussa, Ngandu, Nsabiyumva, Bigirimana, Nahimana, Moustapha, Duhayindavyi, Amissi, Abdul Razak, Berahino
  • PRVW
    Nigeria: Akpeyi, Shehu, Troost-Ekong, Omeruo, Aina, Ndidi, Etebo, Chukwueze, Mikel, Iwobi , Onuachu
  • PRVW
    With around half an hour until kick-off, let's take a look at how both sides line up for tonight's clash.
Info

Pre-match

22 June 2019, 19:00

Stadium: Estadio Abuya

  • PRVW
    Good evening and a very warm welcome to our live coverage of Nigeria's 2019 AFCON opener as they face underdogs Burundi in Alexandria.