The Super Eagles of Nigeria had a shaky start to their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign, settling for a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium on Sunday. The result served as a setback for the three-time champions, who entered the tournament as one of the favorites.

Despite dominating possession and creating chances, Nigeria struggled to capitalize on their opportunities.

Equatorial Guinea’s Ivan Salvador opened the scoring in the 36th minute, but Napoli striker Victor Osimhen quickly equalized for the Eagles in the 38th minute, leveling the score at 1-1.

Osimhen, despite being a prominent figure in the match, wasted numerous scoring chances in both halves that could have turned the game in Nigeria’s favor. The new Super Eagles invitee, Alhassan Abdullahi, was substituted due to injury in the 72nd minute.

Looking ahead, Nigeria will face the host country, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, in their second Group A match on Thursday, while Guinea-Bissau will take on Equatorial Guinea on the same day. Equatorial Guinea’s Captain, Jesus Lazaro, received the Man of the Match award for his standout performance.