One of African football’s most enduring and fierce rivalries returns to the spotlight this Saturday in the Moroccan city of Fès. The Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia will compete in a high-stakes encounter at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with both teams vying for the top spot in Group C.
Nigeria entered the tournament with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tanzania, fueled by strikes from Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman. Conversely, Tunisia delivered a more dominant performance in their opener, dismantling Uganda 3-1 behind a brace from Elias Achouri and an Ellyes Skhiri goal.
Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has emphasized tactical discipline and physical readiness following a period of intense preparation. During Friday’s pre-match briefing, the Franco-Malian tactician highlighted the importance of focus against a technically proficient Tunisian side that currently leads the group on goal difference.
“For this game, we had a training session to recover, and we tried to put more intensity in the training session. Tunisia is a great team, and they are playing very well. Let’s go for this game,” Chelle said in Friday’s pre-match press conference.
While acknowledging defensive lapses during the opening match against the Taifa Stars, Chelle remains optimistic about his team’s mental fortitude. He noted that the squad’s immediate response to conceding was a positive sign of their growth under his leadership.
“We analysed the game, and we did some things in the game, bad and good. But the goal was bad for us. The reality was that we scored immediately after the goal, and that was a good reaction. We will work on it, and if there is no mistake, there is no goal, but my players are very ready for this game.”
Captain Wilfred Ndidi echoed this confidence, framing the match as an opportunity to settle a score from the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. In that tournament, Tunisia eliminated a favored Nigerian side with a 1-0 victory in the Round of 16, a memory that still motivates the current roster.
“It was a painful loss in 2021. It gives us more confidence when we talk about it. We don’t want to think about what happened; we just want to face this one,” Ndidi said. “Definitely, it is a new team, good players, and a good group. We spoke highly of it because it is not going to happen twice, hopefully.”
The veteran midfielder also dismissed concerns regarding external pressure following Nigeria’s failure to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He insisted that the team views this continental tournament as the primary platform to redeem themselves and prove their status as Africa’s elite.
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