By Francis Ajuonuma, Lagos and Ben Ogbemudia, Abuja
Nigeria yesterday kickstarted her quest to reach the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire on a shaky note following a slim 2-1 win against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

The win moves the three-time African champions to the second position in Group A behind Guinea Bissau, who came from behind to beat Sao Tome and Principe 5-1 in the other fixture of Group A qualifiers

Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen scored for Nigeria to ensure the new head coach, José Peseiro record his first win in charge of the Super Eagles.

The Leone Stars scored first in the 11th minute with a diving header from Jonathan Morsey, who got to the end of a Musa Kamara cross after the forward went past a slow William Troost-Ekong.

Iwobi put the Eagles back into the game five minutes later, having placed the ball to the bottom right corner after an assist from Moses Simon.

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Despite playing away, the Leone Stars were too hot to handle by the Super Eagles, especially as they attacked from the left side often catching Ola Aina out of position.

However, the Eagles got the needed second goal with Osimhen finishing off a move started by Ola Aina whose cross was headed onto the path of the Napoli striker Simon.

In the second half, the game flowed from one end to the other, but Nigeria should have made it 3-1 in the 58th minute when Iwobi and Osimhen carved open the visitors’ defense, only for Samuel Chukwueze to get too much purchase on his shot and drag it wide.

Simon himself went close to scoring before the break but the Sierra Leone keeper saved before he could strike.
Jose Peseiro made a raft of changes in the second half with skipper William Troost-Ekong sustaining an injury.

Aribo, Osimhen, and substitute Ademola Lookman all missed chances as Nigeria pushed for another goal, but in added time, it took Aribo’s last-second intervention to deny the Leone Stars.

The Eagles pocket three points and head to Agadir, Morocco for their Day 2 encounter against ‘The Falcons and True Parrots’of São Tomé and Príncipe on Monday evening.