Nigeria emphatically ended Uganda’s TotalEnergies AFCON journey with a dominant 3–1 victory on Tuesday night, tearing apart the Uganda Cranes in their final Group C encounter at the Complexe Sportif de Fès in Morocco.
The Super Eagles, already in commanding form after wins over Tanzania and Tunisia, showed no mercy as they completed a perfect group-stage run to finish top of Group C. For Uganda, the defeat marked a painful exit, with hopes of progression extinguished under the Moroccan lights.
Nigeria asserted their authority early and were rewarded in the 28th minute when towering striker Paul Onuachu finished from close range, steering home a well-weighted pass from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru after sustained pressure from the West Africans.
Uganda attempted to regroup after the break, but their resistance was shattered in the 56th minute when Salim Magoola was sent off for handball, leaving the Cranes a man down at a critical stage of the contest.
The numerical advantage quickly told. In the 62nd minute, Raphael Onyedika doubled Nigeria’s lead with a composed finish, before striking again just five minutes later to make it 3–0, both goals expertly set up by Samuel Chukwueze.
To their credit, the ten-man Cranes continued to fight and found a consolation goal in the 75th minute through Rogers Mato, who slotted home after being released by Allan Okello. However, the damage had already been done.
Nigeria comfortably saw out the closing minutes, making tactical substitutions to protect their lead and underline their status as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders.
The result sealed Nigeria’s place at the summit of Group C with three wins from three matches, while a wounded Uganda side bowed out of the AFCON, left to reflect on what might have been.
