AFCON 2019 Match Report: A goal from Ighalo gives Nigeria winning start against Burundi

<span style="color:rgb(18,18,18); font-family:GuardianTextEgyptian,Georgia,serif; font-size:17px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:common-ligatures; font-variant-caps:normal; font-weight:300; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial; display:inline!important; float:none; text-align:left;">The Super Eagles were forced to work hard for that by a valiant Burundian team. <p class="sp-story-body__introduction" style="box-sizing:inherit; margin:0px0px1.5rem; padding:0px; border:0px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-variant-numeric:inherit; font-variant-east-asian:inherit; font-weight:bold; font-stretch:inherit; line-height:inherit; font-family:ReithSans,Arial,Helvetica,freesans,sans-serif; font-size:16px; vertical-align:baseline; outline-style:none; color:rgb(37,37,37); letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial; text-align:left;">Three-time winners and 2013 champions Nigeria edged past tournament debutants Burundi at the Africa Cup of Nations.

<p style="box-sizing:inherit; margin:0px0px1.5rem; padding:0px; border:0px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-variant-numeric:inherit; font-variant-east-asian:inherit; font-weight:400; font-stretch:inherit; line-height:inherit; font-family:ReithSans,Arial,Helvetica,freesans,sans-serif; font-size:16px; vertical-align:baseline; outline-style:none; color:rgb(37,37,37); letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial; text-align:left;">Second half substitute Odion Ighalo scored the only goal after 77 minutes in Alexandria with a curled finish past Burundi goalkeeper Jonathan Nahimana.

<p style="box-sizing:inherit; margin:0px0px1.5rem; padding:0px; border:0px; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-variant-caps:normal; font-variant-numeric:inherit; font-variant-east-asian:inherit; font-weight:400; font-stretch:inherit; line-height:inherit; font-family:ReithSans,Arial,Helvetica,freesans,sans-serif; font-size:16px; vertical-align:baseline; outline-style:none; color:rgb(37,37,37); letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width:0px; background-color:rgb(255,255,255); text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial; text-align:left;">Burundi - the lowest-ranked side at the tournament - had struck the crossbar in the first half through defender Frederic Nsabiyumva's looping header.