The Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Pharaohs of Egypt will take to the field of Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua, in their AFCON 2021 Group D opener today (Tuesday) with the three points, head-to-head and national pride at stake.
Ahead of the big clash, Completesports.com’s JAMES AGBEREBI reveals how both teams have fared against each other in their past eight AFCON matches.
Egypt 6-3 Nigeria (AFCON 1963)
Nigeria made her AFCON debut at the 1963 edition held in West African rivals, Ghana.
The Pharaohs of Egypt were Nigeria’s first ever opponent at the AFCON and at that 1963 tournament, the Egyptians triumphed 6-3.
A 4-0 defeat to Sudan in their second group game saw the Nigerian team crash out.
Nigeria 3 – 2 Egypt (AFCON 1976)
Both country’s second meeting at the AFCON was in 1976 in Ethiopia, in the four-team final round.
A brace from the late Haruna Ilerika and a late strike from Mohammed Lawal saw Nigeria beat Egypt 3-2.
At the end of the final round, Nigeria won the bronze while Morocco were crowned champions and Egypt finished bottom.
Nigeria 1 – 0 Egypt (AFCON 1980)
The third meeting between Nigeria and Egypt at the AFCON was in the group stage of the 1980 edition in Nigeria.
It was both team’s last group game which Nigeria won 1-0, thanks to Okey Isima’s 15th minute winner.
The Green Eagles went on to clinch Nugeria’s first ever AFCON title after a comfortable 3-0 win against Algeria in the final.
Nigeria 2 – 2 Egypt (AFCON 1984)
(8 – 7 pen)
Led Adegboye Onigbinde as the head coach, Nigeria featured in their second AFCON final where they lost 3-1 to Cameroon in 1984.
To get to the final, they had to go past Egypt who they overcame 8-7 on penalties after regulation time ended 2-2.
The Egyptians had raced to a 2-0 lead in the first half, before a penalty from Stephen Keshi and another strike from Ali Baba saw the Nigerians complete a second half comeback.
Nigeria 0 – 0 Egypt (AFCON 1988)
Both countries were drawn in the same group at Maroc ’88, which also had Cameroon and Kenya.
Egypt needed to beat Nigeria in their last group game to stand a chance of progressing into the semi-finals.
But the Nigerian side held Egypt to a goalless draw and advanced to the last four with Cameroon.
Nigeria 1-0 Egypt (AFCON 1990)
Nigeria and Egypt met in the group stage again at the 1990 AFCON held in Algeria.
A first half goal from Rashidi Yekini earned Nigeria a hard fought 1-0 win, which saw them bounce back from the 5-1 hammering in the hands of Algeria in the opening game.
Nigeria progressed alongside Algeria to the semi-finals, while Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire were eliminated.
Nigeria 0 – 0 Egypt (AFCON 1994)
The next clash was at Tunisia 1994, in second group game, which saw both teams play out a 0-0 draw.
The draw was enough to send both teams to the quarter-finals with Nigeria going all the way to the final and be ame African champions for the second time.
Egypt 3 – 1 Nigeria (AFCON 2010)
The Pharaohs recorded their first AFCON win over Nigeria since 1963 following a 3-1 comeback victory in Angola 2010 in their first group game.
Chinedu Obasi gave the Super Eagles an early lead before the Egyptians rallied back to win 3-1.
Egypt went on to win their seventh title while Nigeria won the bronze.
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COMMENTS
If Okoye can see Dessers as a better replacement for Ighalo, I wondered why coach Eguavoen was unable to see the quality of Dessers.
Is it possible to replace a player after the kick off of a tournament?
If yes then, coach Eguavoen should have a rethink and speak to Amaju to communicate that to CAF. We can’t afford to give away a slot just like that.
Oga Rohr, Eguavoen and Amaju Pinnick all messed up on this issue of Ighalo but impossible is nothing if CAF can still replace Dessers with Ighalo.
“I secretly still hope for that” – Maduka Okoye wants late Afcon call-up for snubbed Super Eagles striker
“I secretly still hope for that” – Maduka Okoye wants late Afcon call-up for snubbed Super Eagles striker
The national team shot-stopper is aware that Victor Osimhen and Odion Ighalo will not be available for selection at the continental championship
Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has revealed his secret wish is that Feyenoord attacker Cyriel Dessers be invited to replace Al-Shabab striker Odion Ighalo on Nigeria’s 28-man roster for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
With Super Eagles’ first-choice forwards Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Genk’s Paul Onuachu ruled out of the Afcon, interim coach Augustine Eguavoen put his trust in tournament debutants Union Berlin’s Taiwo Awoniyi and Almeria’s Umar Sadiq.
Afcon 2019 top goalscorer Ighalo, returning from retirement, was included to add much-needed experience to a largely greenhorn attack. But his Saudi Arabian club has refused to release the ex-Watford man for the championship, leaving Nigeria short on manpower.
Dessers is one of the players who could replace Ighalo, with the Feyenoord star in impressive form. The 27-year-old has four goals in six appearances in the Europa Conference League and netted another four in only 333 minutes in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie.
Although Eguavoen has ruled out the possibility of inviting Dessers no matter what happens between Ighalo and Al Shabab, Okoye is still praying for some miracle to bring the ex-Utrecht man to Cameroon.
“Victor Osimhen cannot participate, and his replacement, Odion Ighalo, is having trouble getting permission from his club in Saudi Arabia,” the 22-year-old told RTV Rijnmond, as per FeyenoordPings.
“If that doesn’t work, I think Dessers should be called up. I secretly still hope for that.”
Ighalo or Dessers or not, the Super Eagles will have to be at their very best to secure a positive result when they face seven-time Afcon champions Egypt on Tuesday”.
We all love to see Dessers in this tournament but unfortunately, these bad people have spoiled everything.
It is well. This is where Amaju Pinnick and his crew brought us to. They should be ashamed of themselves for wasting a slot for Ighalo. What a leader. Shióó. Too bad. God bless Nigeria!!!
Dessers is more of a centre forward than Awoniyi,I don’t know much about Umar judging from his performances in the Olympics over 5years ago he was prolific and lately has done well in Europe but feelers from camp suggests he and Awoniyi are struggling in camp.
Our only performing striker in camp is Iheanacho,so we are thin in that department.
Unfortunately,Eguavoen doesn’t see Dessers as a striker in need in his squad.I don’t know why though he said he doesn’t know much about Dessers which is strange,who doesn’t know Dessers??A shocker of a news coming from our former strongman Augustine Eguavoen.
Dessers a traditional center forward good at both feet and can strike the ball hard.He’s technically gifted around the box,he can create chances out of nothing a traditional finisher who doesn’t miss many but that cannot be said of Awoniyi,I hope he proves me wrong later this evening.
Different coaches different choices we the fans have to deal with it unfortunately.
Is it a must that Desser be part of the team? If the coach feel otherwise so be it. This was how you were shouting for players up and down during Rohr era now our “own” has been given to you as requested you’re still not satisfy, what do you really want? Every player can not made the team at once this is what we have been preaching to you that you turn us to rohr ass licker. Maybe you will need to say how much your gain will be if Desser is invited to the team that your wahala is too much
We have good history against Egypt they are the recent winners scoring 3 second half goals must have being a nightmare for Nigerian fans back then God forbids that history relive this evening in Cameroon.
Playing Egypt will never be easy.
The good thing about this tournament is countries in the sub Saharan Africa will benefit hugely.The advantage is there hope it’s taken,the support from neighbouring fans,the weather though most players this days are European based but the Maghreb will be worst hit.I think Ghana stood toe to toe with Morocco until the mix up in the defence which led to the cracker that decided the game.
However,history favours neighbouring countries from the host or the host to win Afcon though this trend doesn’t happen all the time but most of the time it does.
Algeria won it in Egypt.
It could be Nigeria,I hope so or Senegal, Ivory coast or the host country Cameroon the aforementioned are more likely to win it than the Arab nations which have an outside chance.