Goal! Auwal Ibrahim races away after scoring the lone goal that earned the three points against Tunisia.  Image credit: NFF


An early goal by Auwal Ibrahim, expertly assisted by Odinaka Okoro, proved decisive as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles secured a hard-fought victory over Carthage Eagles of Tunisia at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Thursday.

Displaying composure and control against their feisty North African opponents, the Flying Eagles deservedly took the lead in the first half, dominating proceedings.

Nigeria thought they had earned a penalty in the 72nd minute when Mendos Richson was bundled to the ground, but a VAR review overturned the decision.

Goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt made a crucial save with just three minutes left on the clock, blocking a close-range attempt from Tunisia’s Ben Ali to preserve Nigeria’s slim advantage.

The win extended Nigeria’s superior record over Tunisia at the U20 level, marking their fourth victory in six meetings since their first encounter in 1981, where the Flying Eagles triumphed 4-0 at home during the qualifiers for the FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia. Despite a 1-4 loss in the return leg in Tunis, Nigeria progressed to the final round.

In 1985, the two sides drew 1-1 in Tunis during the African U20 Championship final, before Nigeria clinched the title with a 2-1 victory in Lagos. More recently, Nigeria thrashed Tunisia 4-0 in the third-place match of the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, also staged in Egypt.

Buoyed by Thursday’s success, the Flying Eagles now turn their focus to their next challenge — a Sunday evening clash against Morocco’s Lion Cubs at the same venue.

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