FINAL SCORE: Nigeria and South Africa end in a 1-1 draw after 90+5 minutes.
90+4 mins: Iwobi finds himself with space but mishits his shot wide of the goal.
90+3 mins: Moffi gets through on goal but is denied by Williams who makes a brave save.
90+2 mins: Lookman’s curling strike is saved brilliantly by Williams.
90 mins: Five minutes added for either side to find a winning goal.
88 mins: Zwane is substituted for Aubaas as South Africa aims to hold on.
87 mins: Lookman’s attempt is blocked by Mudau and Ngezana.
83 mins: Lookman’s shot is blocked again as Nigeria presses forward.
81 mins: Super Eagles make a double change with Moffi and Onyedika coming on.
79 mins: Zwane’s shot is blocked after striking an offside Tau.
77 mins: Ngezana receives treatment after blocking a shot from Chukwueze.
75 mins: Chukwueze hits the crossbar with a shot, almost scoring for Nigeria.
74 mins: Zwane misses a chance for South Africa, sending his shot wide.
73 mins: Iwobi’s effort goes wide of the target.
72 mins: Osayi-Samuel’s shot is saved comfortably by Williams.
71 mins: South Africa makes a double substitution bringing on Appollis and Foster.
70 mins: Mokwana’s cross is gathered by Nwabali.
67 mins: Chukwueze replaces Iheanacho for Nigeria.
64 mins: Zwane’s pass to Rayners is flagged offside.
62 mins: Abdullahi replaces the injured Dele-Bashiru for Nigeria.
60 mins: Dele-Bashiru receives treatment after a challenge.
57 mins: Mkowana’s shot is saved by Nwabali.
56 mins: Ngezana receives a yellow card for blocking Onuachu.
55 mins: Dele-Bashiru is injured in a challenge but South Africa escapes penalty.
53 mins: Dele-Bashiru is fouled as he attempts to reach a pass.
50 mins: Nigeria equalizes through Dele-Bashiru’s goal.
48 mins: Mudau is booked for a late challenge on Onuachu.
46 mins: Dele-Bashiru scores for Nigeria, leveling the game at 1-1.
HT: Nigeria trails South Africa 1-0 and needs improvement in the second half.
45+3 mins: HALFTIME – NIGERIA 0-1 SOUTH AFRICA
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45+2 mins: Lookman skips past three South African defenders on the left edge of the box, but his final ball into the middle is poor and easy for Ngezana to cut out and clear.
45 mins: The assistant referee’s board is up, indicating three additional minutes to be played at the end of the first half.
44 mins: Lookman’s mazy run inside sets up chances for both Iheanacho and Dele-Bashiru, but their efforts are blocked as Bafana Bafana deal with the threat!
42 mins: SAVED!! Lookman cuts inside and finds Onuachu with a right-footed cross, but the Super Eagles striker can’t get enough power behind his header and Williams makes the stop from close range!
41 mins: Ndidi tries a shot from distance, sending a low strike goalwards, but his 30-yard effort is easily saved by Williams.
40 mins: WIDE!!! Tau’s first-time flick is met by Mokwana on the half-volley, whose side-footed shot whistles just past the side netting, a let-off for the Super Eagles!
39 mins: Ndidi tries to play Iwobi in behind the defense, but his loose pass rolls beyond the Fulham midfielder and out for a goal kick.
36 mins: CHANCE!!! Bafana Bafana break again, and Tau plays Mudau in behind the Super Eagles defense. Nwabali sprints off his line to steer the shot away, but it’s still looping towards his goal before Ajayi heads it over the bar!
34 mins: Iheanacho whips the Nigeria free kick towards the far post, but neither Ajayi nor Bassey can get on the end of an overhit cross that sails behind for a goal kick.
32 mins: YELLOW CARD – Ajayi plays a lofted pass up the right wing towards Tanimu, but he’s caught high and in mid-air by Modiba, who is shown a yellow card for that challenge!
29 mins: GOOOOAAAALLL BAFANA BAFANA!!! Zwane opens the scoring in sensational style!!! The forward plays a one-two with Sithole in the box, steps beyond three Nigerian challenges, and fires into the bottom-right corner! The Super Eagles are left motionless, and it’s 1-0 to South Africa in Uyo!
28 mins: Ndidi and Tanimu play a one-two down the right, as the Nigerian captain crosses with options in the middle, but Williams makes the catch.
26 mins: Mokoena’s poor delivery from a corner is easily caught by Nwabali. He launches a long punt forward, brilliantly controlled by Iheanacho. Dele-Bashiru twists and turns away from two defenders to win a throw-in.
24 mins: Mokwana plays a ball over the top towards Tau, but Nwabali makes a confident catch before the Bafana Bafana forward can get there.
20 mins: A long ball forward from Nwabali is chased down by Iheanacho and Onuachu, but Williams charges out of his box to clear the danger.
18 mins: Mokwana surges down the left-hand side, bursting past Ajayi into the box, but can’t bring it under control for a shot before Nwabali seizes possession!
16 mins: OFF THE BAR!!! Mokoena steps up and clips the top of the crossbar with his 20-yard free kick, trying to repeat his AFCON semifinal heroics against the Super Eagles.
15 mins: YELLOW CARD! The first booking of the evening goes to Osayi-Samuel after the Super Eagles fullback hauls Tau down on the edge of his own box. Mokoena and Tau stand over the free kick.
14 mins: South Africa win their first corner when Modiba’s cross is diverted behind by a sliding Tanimu. The short set-piece between Tau and Sithole comes to nothing.
12 mins: Ndidi clips a cross-field ball to Lookman, but a great defensive recovery stops the Super Eagles forward’s run from Mvala!
10 mins: SAVED!!! Bafana Bafana break up the right-hand side. A low cross is played back to Mokoena on the edge of the box. His fearsome strike is parried by Nwabali, and Rayners’ rebound effort is also saved before the offside flag goes up!
8 mins: OVER!!! Iwobi plays the ball wide to Lookman in Nigeria’s first real chance, but the Atalanta winger’s shot after cutting inside blazes over the top!
7 mins: Mokoena plays a long ball over the top to Mokwana, but the offside flag is raised just as he’s about to shoot.
5 mins: Iheanacho loses out to Sithole in midfield and Bafana Bafana counters, but Rayners is forced into a corner by Ajayi and dispossessed.
3 mins: Dele-Bashiru wins an early free-kick for Nigeria. Iheanacho swings it into the box, Lookman brings it down, and scoops a cross toward the back post. Onuachu heads wide under pressure from Mvala!
Kickoff: NIGERIA 0-0 SOUTH AFRICA. We’re underway as the Super Eagles kick off through Ademola Lookman, their dangerman from the start in Uyo.
5 mins before kickoff: The teams are lined up in the tunnel at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and head out onto the pitch as kickoff approaches.
10 mins before kickoff: We’re just 10 minutes away from kickoff. Two African nations with proud World Cup histories renew their rivalry. South Africa has only defeated the Super Eagles once in their history.
15 mins before kickoff: Bafana Bafana’s starting lineup features Ronwen Williams between the sticks and Percy Tau as a striker. Iqraam Rayners and Mothobi Mvala have unexpected position shifts, and Burnley striker Lyle Foster could come off the bench.
30 mins before kickoff: Group C’s current standings have been shaped by today’s earlier results, with Benin and Lesotho beating Rwanda and Zimbabwe respectively. This match is a rerun of the AFCON semifinal earlier this year, which Nigeria won after a 1-1 draw in extra time. Are we set for another closely contested match?
45 mins before kickoff: Nigeria have confirmed their starting lineup with Wilfred Ndidi captaining the side. The Super Eagles may be missing g the world-class firepower of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, but with Paul Onuachu up front, Europa League final hat-trick hero Ademola Lookman out wide, and Kelechi Iheanacho playing behind, they have plenty to offer in attack.
