AFCON 2025: Super Eagles draw Tunisia for the first time since 2000, Tanzania since 1980!
The Super Eagles will face the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia for the first time in an African Nations Cup group stage since both met in January 2000 in a group D game at the National stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
The Nigerians won the game 4-2 courtesy of goals from Austin Okocha (28′, 58′) and Victor Ikpeba ( 71′, 77′). Since then, the two sides have met thrice in the knockout rounds with the Tunisians triumphing twice viz 5-3 via penalties at the semifinal stage in 2004 and four years ago in Cameroun where they defeated the Nigerians.
The Super Eagles won in 2006 via penalties (6-5) for the second time after winning the third place game in 1978.
The Super Eagles will also face Tanzania and Uganda in the same group.
Nigeria and Tanzania have only met once in the AFCON group stage and that was in 1980 when Nigeria hosted the competition for the first time. The Green Eagles, as they were then called, defeated their Tanzania counterpart 3-1 in their opening group game at the National stadium in Surulere, Lagos. Mudashiru Lawal, Ifeanyi Onyedika and Segun Odegbami scored the goals for Nigeria.
Since then, Nigeria and Tanzania have not met at any stage of the competition.
The Super Eagles will be playing the Cranes of Uganda for the first time at an AFCON group stage but the two sides have met in the knockout phase of the competition once and that was in 1978 when the Ugandans defeated the Green Eagles 2-1 in one of the semifinal games played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana.
