Flying Eagles' Auwal Ibrahim scores the winner in Nigeria's victory over Tunisia in 2025 U-20 AFCON | Photo credit: NFF
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria defeated Tunisia 1-0 in their first game of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
A first-half goal from Auwal Ibrahim was the vital difference between both sides in a feisty match at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt.
Nigeria looked the better side throughout the majority of the game, and the team had two quick shots on target before the Tunisians could settle.
Kparobo Arierhi, the team’s leading goal scorer in the qualification stage, took a powerful shot from 20 yards out, but the Tunisian goalkeeper, Thomas Zouaghi, parried it wide.
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Shortly, the goalkeeper was also tested by Divine Oliseh, but the shot was tame and easily gathered.
However, nothing could deny the Flying Eagles in the 34th minute. Odinaka Okoro darted forward from left-back and found Ibrahim on the edge of the Tunisian goal area. Ibrahim’s first touch took the ball into the box and away from Tunisian defenders before the midfielder slotted the ball in between the legs of Zouaghi.
Although the Tunisians mounted a late pressure to equalise, the Flying Eagles held on for an important win in their first game of the competition.
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Nigeria will play Morocco on Sunday before facing Kenya for their final group game on May 7.
The top two teams from each group will automatically qualify for the knockout. The best two third-placed teams will also get quarter-final slots.
The semi-finalists will qualify automatically for the 2025 U-20 World Cup in Chile.
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