Second half strike saves Nigeria, breaks Burundi hearts

That's it. Spirited from Burundi but they just couldn't get that goal to really rattle Nigeria as Ighalo pounces and gives the Super Eagles the win.

The very last chance. Headed over the bar by Fiston.

Corner in and sent out for another corner.

Burundi have not given up on getting that equaliser. Another attack and another corner.

Played forward and shot rolls towards Akpeyi. Too easy for the keeper.

AIna with a handball as Cedric tries to play it past him. Free Burundi.

Brave Awaziem catches a kick in the head. Frederic with the chilena and misses the ball but gets the defender's head.

Corner for Burundi. Ball sent right in on top of the goalkeeper and he punches away but only just about.

Ekong off the field and getting seen to. Looks like he'll be fine but he's really shook after that blow to the side of the leg.

Ekong down injured after taking a knock to the quad. He's up again though.

Ball crossed in by Burundi and it's headed wide by the sub Nduwarugira. 

Iwobi shoots. Blocked. Nigeria pushing for the second.

Nigeria continue to struggle at the back and Akpeyi drops a shot before Burundi nearly pounce. Nervy moments for them.

Debatable as to whether that was deserved or not but they have improved over the last 20 minutes. Can Burundi respond?

Burundi making a change. Nduwarugira comes on for Shassir. That's their second change. 

Free for Burundi from way out the field and it's crossed in. Aypeyi grabs and starts a counter. But Nigeria just lacking something in attack.

Onuachu replaced by Ighalo.

Chance for Burundi that is saved by Akpeyi and that's a corner.

CHukwueze sends a hopeful effort towards goal. It was more of a cross than anything but it didn't trouble the keeper whatever it was.

Nigeria with loads of possession now but Burundi happy to let them have it where they casn't cause problems.

Nigeria getting a little more desperate now. Can they score that elusive goal?

Shot from distance by Cedric and that's a country mile wide.

Mustafa replaced by Kamsoba.

Chukwueze switches all the way across the field. Nasty one from Shassir as he catches Ndidi with his studs.

Jonathan grabs a cross that's low from Musa. Nigeria just picking it up a touch here. Men arriving in the box there too to take advantage of any kind of mistake.

Musa on for captain, Obi Mikel, as Gernot Rohr makes a move to try and get that first goal.

Nigeria making moves on the bench. 

Iwobi was streaming clear but Obi Mikel was fouled and the referee doesn't play advantage. He should have and Iwobi tells him that. 

That cross is way overhit too and it's out and over everyone.

Good cross by Aina and it's headed out at the back post by Burundi.

Remains 0-0 with seven played in the second half.

Free for Nigeria and it's Omeruo at the back post. He heads it just wide. Good effort! 

Burundi attack again. They want a handball as Cedric shoots and it catches Awaziem on the side. Shot eventually sent in and it's over the bar. They continue to look dangerous when they attack and Nigeria have not been very good in attack themselves. Game still hangs in the balance.

Worked short and eventually put wide from a cross.

Burundi free from the left. Whipped in low and it forces a save by Akpeyi. That was going a mile wide but he threw his hands out and stopped it anyway.

Foul on Fiston by substitute Awaziem.

Lovely cross in by Iwobi and Obi Mikel doesn't think he can get a head to it and doesn't even try. Ball rolls out for a goalkick.

We are back underway for the second half.

Teams back on the field as Nigeria huddle up for a chat ahead of the second half.

Half-time statistics for your perusal.

Half-time in Alexandria. Still no goals.

That's a really disappointing free from Nigeria. Kicked away easily at the front post.

Duhayinnavyi off the field now getting treatment. He hurt himself chasing Chukwueze and looks okay but might not be. Getting looked at on the sideline. Free Nigeria.

Free for Chukwueze. He rounds a couple of defenders and gets taken down out on the right.

Another free for Burundi. Nigeria keeper, Daniel Akpeyi, punches away. More danger from Burundi.

Awaziem replaces Shehu as the latter is subbed off due to injury.

Cross inside the Burundi box but Jonathan grabs it. 

Free for them and it's headed on in the middle by Frederic. It hits the very top corner of the post and bounces back to him. He blazes over! 

Still no goals here but after a spell of Nigeria dominance at the start, Burundi have really responded.

Corner for Nigeria. He heads it down away from goal. Looked like he wasn't expecting that one to fall to him.

Ball out to Chuckwueze and Burundi get lucky as it goes out for a throw. He was away in a hack that time if it stayed in.

Another Burundi free. Berahino fouled by Ndidi this time and the referee has a word with him.

Free-kick for Burundi and they drive one towards goal. Saved by Akpeyi. Bigirimana with the dipping strike.

Lovely, quick turn from Iwobi and he plays it back to Chuckwueze, who blazes is into the Alexandria sky! What a waste.

A fairly blatant push in the back for Etebo and a free for Nigeria in a dangerous position.

Nigeria continue to hog the ball. Burundi comfortable enough though. The Super Eagles have shown a couple of flashes down that right but aren't creating danger anywhere else.

Nice link up with Chuckwueze involved as Duhayinnavyi has to jump in and put it out for a throw.

More danger for Burundi to deal with down that right hand side. They do and clear. 

Akpeyi gets the ball lost under his feet and concedes a corner. A little bit too lax there from the keeper. Burundi more than holding their own.

Nigeria win a throw now.

Foul by Ob Mikel during a Nigeria attack and they concede the free.

Nigeria on the ball again and Chuckwueze loses it now. Nigeria caught on the break as Shehu handles the ball. Free for Burundi.

Amissi takes the ball down just perfectly before slamming a shot towards Akpeyi! Burundi almost take the lead. That was a lovely, quick move from the underdogs. Nigeria survive.

Ball whipped in from the right and headed on by Mikel. Onuachu heads it towards goal and Nahimana makes a save.

Nigeria on the ball once again. This is going to be a long night for Burundi.

Another ball down the left and it's Mikel that is the target this time. He can't control it with his chest and it's out for a throw.

Nigeria straight back up the field and they look to trouble Burundi again.

Corner send in and Onuachu gets a head to it at the front post. He's reaching for that and it's well wide in the end.

Nigeria on the ball again and they attack as Obi Mikel sends Chuckwueze free. They win a corner.

One of those trademark runs down the right from Chuckwueze as he cuts in and sends a deflected shot bouncing up into the air. Cleared by Burundi.

Nigeria the more proactive team here to start but no chances so far. 

Nigeria on the ball now as Burundi sit back and eventually win it back. Long ball up the field to start for them, which might be a sign of things to come. 

We are underway!

Teams line up and we are almost ready for action. Not a great crowd in the Alexandria Stadium.

Nigeria's national anthem blares in Alexandria Stadium. It's cloudy in the Egypt.

Here is a list of the 20 players from LaLiga representing their coutries at the tournament this summer.

Plenty of LaLiga talent on display tonight and in the AFCON in general.

Berahino declared himseflf for Burundi last year after playing with English underage team all the way through the under-21s. He has played give times for his country and scored one goal.

Burundi XI: D. Nahimana, Ngando, Moussa, Frederic, Bigirimana, Duhayindabyi, s. Nahimana, Mustafa, Fiston, Cedric, Berahino.

Nigeria XI: Akpeyi, Shehu, Aina, Ndidi, Ekong, Omeruo, Chukwueze, Mikel, Onuachu, Etebo, Iwobi.

It's currently 27 degrees in Alexandria. It's slightly cooler because it's by the coast. Still warm but not suffocating like the 30 degrees Zimbabwe and Egypt played in last night in Cairo.

And this article, via Nick Ames and ESPN, is really excellent on who they are.

And this is via wikipedia: "Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country amid the African Great Lakes region where East and Central Africa converge. The capital is Gitega, having moved from Bujumbura in February 2019."

If you were wondering where it is, this is via the Economist. 

Burundi are really playing the underdog cards tonight.

“They don’t know us, they probably don’t watch our games, so that releases the pressure on us so we can play without any fear at all,” they told Reuters.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the African Cup of Nations 2019 as Nigeria play Burundi in their first game of the tournament at Alexandria Stadium, kick-off at 19:00 CEST.