One among Africa’s most storied and memorable soccer rivalries makes one other cease on Saturday, this time within the Moroccan metropolis of Fès, as Nigeria and Tunisia conflict in a top-of-the-table encounter of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations, on the 35,000-capacity Complexe Sportif de Fès.
With three factors taken by every staff from their opening video games, the stage is ready for fiery exchanges as Coaches Eric Chelle and Sami Trabelsi, themselves former gamers, can be decided to push their groups to attain victory and ebook an early spot within the event’s Spherical of 16.
There have been a complete of 21 matches between each groups, relationship again 64 years, with every having received six instances, and the remaining 9 matches drawn (although some finally went into penalty shootouts). Of the three that stretched to penalty shootouts, Nigeria received two, together with a memorable 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture and an Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final duel that flowed forwards and backwards within the Egyptian metropolis of Port Mentioned 19 years in the past.
Tunisia received the lottery within the 2004 AFCON that they hosted, edging the Eagles to arrange a Remaining conflict with Morocco’s Atlas Lions.
Each groups have staged walkouts towards one another, with Nigeria leaving the pitch in an AFCON qualifying match in Tunis in December 1961, after a controversial aim, and Tunisia opting to do the identical when Nigeria scored an equalizing aim by Baba Otu Mohammed in an AFCON bronze-medal match in Kumasi in March 1978.
When the Carthage Eagles pipped the Tremendous Eagles 1-0 within the Spherical of 16 on the AFCON in Cameroon 4 years in the past, it was their first victory over Nigeria in a aggressive match since 1985, once they received a 1986 World Cup qualifying match 2-0 in Tunis.
There have been excessive drama, muscle-flexing, and boardroom blowouts, and Saturday’s encounter can be one other recreation of depth and power-play as Nigeria search to ascertain themselves as one of many favourites for the trophy and Tunisia, who can be going to subsequent yr’s FIFA World Cup finals, decided to combat for a second continental title.
Trabelsi, who was within the squad that Khaled Badra led to win Tunisia’s solely AFCON title, at dwelling in 2004, has the likes of Captain Ferjani Sassi, Ali Maãloul, Hannibal Mejbri, Dylan Bronn, Ben Ali, Ali Ben Romdhane and Yan Valery who can flip a recreation on its head inside a break up second. They confirmed their deadliness in sweeping apart Uganda in Rabat on Tuesday night.
For Eric Chelle, the triumvirate of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze on the fore, and the duo of Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi on the rear present some assurance. With Osimhen nonetheless on the lookout for his first aim of the event, the Carthage Eagles could possibly be beneath super stress from Nigeria’s ace ahead who boasts 31 objectives in 47 matches.
Midfield lubricator Alexander Iwobi, more likely to win his 93rd cap, can be anticipated to play a key function in Nigeria’s problem for the three factors. Captain Wilfred Ndidi will certainly be referred to as upon a number of instances to interrupt up the play of the fast-paced Tunisians.
SUPER EAGLES, CARTHAGE EAGLES IN HISTORY
25 Nov 1961: Nigeria 2-1 Tunisia (AFCONq: Lagos)
10 Dec 1961: Tunisia 2-2 Nigeria (AFCONq: Tunis): Match inconclusive as Nigeria walked off the pitch
25 Sep 1977: Tunisia 0-0 Nigeria (WCq: Tunis)
12 Nov 1977: Nigeria 0-1 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos)
16 Mar 1978: Tunisia 0-2 Nigeria (AFCON: Kumasi): Match at 1-1 when Tunisia walked off the pitch
29 Jun 1980: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria (WCq: Tunis)
12 Jul 1980: Nigeria 2-0 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos): Nigeria win 4-3 on penalties
29 Sep 1984: Tunisia 5-0 Nigeria (Pleasant: Tunis)
06 Jul 1985: Nigeria 1-0 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos)
