Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, started their campaign at the 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations with a 1-0 win against Tunisia on Thursday.
The match, which took place at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, was a tough Group B opener. The only goal came in the 38th minute, scored by Auwal Ibrahim of Akwa United after a smooth team move. His calm finish gave Nigeria the lead and secured all three points.
The Flying Eagles showed strong teamwork and attacking skills, similar to their earlier 2-1 win against hosts Egypt in a friendly match before the tournament.
Speaking before the match, Head Coach Aliyu Zubairu had said, “That result gave us confidence and momentum, but we knew we had to stay focused against another North African side.”
The squad is a mix of local talents and players based in Europe, including Precious Benjamin from Germany and WAFU B standout Kparobo Arierhi. This win puts Nigeria at the top of Group B as they prepare for their next match.
The victory also adds to Nigeria’s strong history against Tunisia in the U-20 AFCON. The Flying Eagles defeated Tunisia in the 2023 third-place match and also in the final of the 1985 edition.
Nigeria’s goal is to finish among the top four teams in the tournament, which would earn them a place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup taking place in Chile later this year.
