Nigeria, Jan. 1 -- The Super Eagles of Nigeria walked through the Africa Cup of Nations group stage with a perfect record, but the numbers only tell part of the story.

Three games, three wins. Nine points. A commanding finish at the top of the group. On the surface, Nigeria's group-stage campaign at AFCON 2025 looks flawless. Yet beneath the results lie lessons, some encouraging, others unsettling, as the tournament shifts into its most unforgiving phase.

A scrappy 2-1 opener against Tanzania set the tone. A thrilling 3-2 victory over Tunisia followed, high on intensity but laced with late anxiety. Then came the composed 3-1 dismantling of Uganda, a game that doubled as both rotation exercise and statement.

With knockout football loomi...