By Olukayode Olumuyiwa.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday night at the Cairo International Stadium. The high-profile friendly served as the final dress rehearsal for both continental giants before they head to Morocco for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Despite a spirited performance and a mass rotation of players in the second half, the three-time African champions were unable to overcome a clinical Egyptian side led by an inspired Zizo, who provided both assists for the hosts.
Match Highlights: A Tale of Two Halves
The encounter began with a fast tempo, but it was Egypt who found the breakthrough in the 28th minute. Following sustained pressure, Zizo delivered a precise low cross that found Mahmoud Saber, who tapped home from close range to give the hosts the lead.
Nigeria struggled to find their rhythm for much of the first half and were hampered by early bookings for Chidozie Awaziem and Paul Onuachu. However, the Super Eagles found a lifeline in stoppage time. A dangerous free-kick from Zaidu Sanusi was fumbled by the Egyptian goalkeeper, Mohamed El-Shenawy, allowing Awaziem to redeem himself by heading home the equalizer in the 45+3 minute.
The second half saw Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle make five simultaneous substitutions at the restart, introducing fresh legs including Ademola Lookman and Semi Ajayi. However, the momentum shifted back to Egypt in the 53rd minute when Mostafa Mohamed capitalized on a defensive lapse to fire home what would eventually be the winning goal.
Final Scorecard
Team: Egypt
Goals: 2
Scorers: Mahmoud Saber (28′), Mostafa Mohamed (53′)
Team: Nigeria
Goals: 1
Scorers: Chidozie Awaziem (45+3′)
Road to Morocco 2025
While the result in Cairo may be a setback, the focus for Nigeria now shifts entirely to their AFCON campaign. The Super Eagles are drawn in Group C and are scheduled to fly to their base in Fès, Morocco, this Thursday via a chartered flight.
The 2025 AFCON officially kicks off on December 21st, but Nigeria fans will have to wait until December 23rd to see their team in competitive action.
Nigeria’s Group C Fixtures:
- Dec 23: Nigeria vs. Tanzania
- Dec 27: Nigeria vs. Tunisia
- Dec 30: Uganda vs. Nigeria (Fez Stadium)
“The result matters less than the lessons learned, a team official noted after the match. We used this game to assess squad depth and fitness. Now, the real work begins in Morocco”.
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