Nigeria, Tunisia Renew Rivalry in Morocco With Round of 16 Spot at Stake
One of Africa’s most storied football rivalries will reignite on Saturday in the Moroccan city of Fès, where Nigeria and Tunisia face off in a top-of-the-table encounter at the 35th Africa Cup of Nations.
The 35,000-capacity Complexe Sportif de Fès will host the clash, with both sides chasing an early ticket to the Round of 16 after winning their opening matches.
Coaches Eric Chelle and Sami Trabelsi, both former internationals, will be determined to guide their teams to victory in a fixture steeped in history.
Nigeria and Tunisia have met 21 times over the past 64 years, each winning six, with nine draws. Three of those contests went to penalties, Nigeria prevailing twice, including a dramatic 1982 World Cup qualifier and a pulsating AFCON quarter-final in Port Said 19 years ago.
Tunisia’s most famous triumph came on home soil in 2004, when they edged Nigeria in the semi-final before defeating Morocco in the final to claim their only continental crown.
The rivalry has not been without controversy. Nigeria staged a walkout in Tunis during an AFCON qualifier in 1961 after a disputed goal, while Tunisia did the same in Kumasi in 1978 when Baba Otu Mohammed equalised in the bronze-medal match.
More recently, Tunisia stunned Nigeria 1-0 in the Round of 16 at AFCON 2021 in Cameroon, their first competitive win over the Super Eagles since 1985.
Saturday’s clash promises similar drama, with Nigeria seeking to reinforce their status as title contenders and Tunisia, already qualified for next year’s FIFA World Cup, aiming to add a second AFCON trophy to their cabinet.
Trabelsi’s Carthage Eagles boast a dangerous lineup featuring captain Ferjani Sassi, Ali Maãloul, Hannibal Mejbri, Dylan Bronn, Ali Ben Romdhane and Yan Valery, who impressed in their 3-0 dismantling of Uganda in Rabat earlier this week.
Nigeria, meanwhile, will look to their attacking triumvirate of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze to unsettle Tunisia’s defence.
Osimhen, still searching for his first goal of the tournament, carries a formidable record of 31 goals in 47 international appearances.
At the back, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi provide stability, while Alexander Iwobi, set to earn his 93rd cap, will be tasked with orchestrating play in midfield. Captain Wilfred Ndidi’s defensive steel will be vital in breaking up Tunisia’s fast-paced attacks.
