Nigeria’s Flying Eagles on Thursday kicked off their quest for an eighth Africa U-20 Cup of Nations title on a winning note, edging Tunisia 1-0 in a tightly contested Group B opener at Cairo’s 30 June Stadium.
The decisive moment came in the 38th minute when Auwal Ibrahim, the promising Akwa United forward, calmly finished off a flowing team move.
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The goal ultimately proved enough to seal all three points for Nigeria and underline their early intent in the tournament.
Ibrahim’s strike was a product of composed buildup play, with the Flying Eagles showcasing the same attacking verve that had earned them a 2-1 victory over host nation Egypt in a warm-up match earlier in the week.
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Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu had emphasised the importance of a strong start ahead of the game, describing the friendly win against Egypt as a crucial morale booster.
“That result gave us confidence and momentum, but we knew we had to stay focused against another North African side,” Zubairu said, before the match.
The Flying Eagles delivered just that—displaying tactical discipline and defensive resilience to hold off a spirited Tunisian side, who only joined the tournament following Côte d’Ivoire’s late withdrawal as hosts.
With a balanced mix of home-based stars and European-based talent such as Germany-based Precious Benjamin and WAFU B standout Kparobo Arierhi, Nigeria now sit top of Group B ahead of their second group-stage clash against Morocco.
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The victory also extended Nigeria’s dominant record over Tunisia in U-20 AFCON history, having previously defeated them in the 2023 third-place match and in the 1985 final.
The Flying Eagles have set the primary target of finishing at least among the top four in Egypt to secure a coveted spot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
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