Nigeria beat Tunisia 1-0 on Wednesday with an early goal by Odion Ighalo to secure the third place in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the eighth time in their history. 

Striker Ighalo scored from close range in the third minute when he took advantage of a mix-up in the Tunisian defense at Al Salam Stadium to net his fifth goal in Egypt. 

Ighalo, who plays for China's Super League Shanghai Shenhua, was substituted before halftime and left the field holding his left leg, an unexpected end to a tournament where he's on course to finish as top scorer. 

There are three players who could catch him in the final: Algeria pair Riyad Mahrez and Adam Ounas, and Senegal's Sadio Mane all have three goals. 

Three-time AFCON champions Nigeria were the AFCON runners-up for four times in their history. The latest was in 2000. 

As for the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, they won the AFCON title once in 2004, were the runners-up twice in 1965 and 1996 and secured the third place once in 1962. 

Algeria and Senegal meet Friday at Cairo International Stadium, where Algeria can claim a second title and first since 1990 and Senegal can win the African Cup for the first time. 

(With input from Xinhua and AP)