There have been walkouts and boardroom blowouts in a Nigeria vs Tunisia clash, and Saturday’s Group C encounter will be another game of intensity and power-play as Nigeria seeks to establish itself as one of the favourites for the AFCON trophy.
This time in the Moroccan city of Fès, Nigeria and Tunisia clash in a top-of-the-table encounter as one of Africa’s most storied and remarkable football rivalries.
The stage is set for fiery exchanges as Coaches Eric Chelle and Sami Trabelsi, themselves former players, will be determined to push their teams to achieve victory and book an early spot in the tournament’s Round of 16.
The Stats: Nigeria Vs Tunisia
There have been a total of 21 matches between the two teams, dating back 64 years, with each having won six times, and the remaining nine games drawn (though some eventually went into penalty shootouts).
Of the three that went to penalty shootouts, Nigeria won two, including a memorable 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture and an Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final duel that flowed back and forth in the Egyptian city of Port Said 19 years ago.
Also, Tunisia won through penalties in the 2004 AFCON that they hosted, edging the Eagles to set up a Final clash with Morocco’s Atlas Lions.
The Drama and Walkouts
Nigeria and Tunisia have staged walkouts against each other, with Nigeria leaving the pitch in an AFCON qualifying match in Tunis in December 1961, after a controversial goal, and Tunisia opting to do the same when Nigeria scored an equalizing goal through Baba Otu Mohammed in an AFCON bronze-medal match in Kumasi in March 1978.
36 Years of Drought
When the Carthage Eagles pipped the Super Eagles 1-0 in the Round of 16 at the AFCON in Cameroon four years ago, it was their first victory over Nigeria in a competitive match since 1985, when they won a 1986 World Cup qualifying match 2-0 in Tunis.
In the lead-up to the game, Nigeria was perfect in the group stages, but got undone by a goal and a red card to Alex Iwobi.
Tunisian Stars To Watch
Trabelsi, AFCON winner (Tunisia’s only title), at home in 2004, can count on Captain Ferjani Sassi, Ali Maãloul, Hannibal Mejbri, Dylan Bronn, Ben Ali, Ali Ben Romdhane, and Yan Valery, to turn a game on its head within a split second. To demonstrate their deadliness, they swept aside Uganda in Rabat on Tuesday evening.
Osimhen Waiting To Exhale For Nigeria
Despite Osimhen still looking for his first goal of the tournament, the Carthage Eagles could be under tremendous pressure from Nigeria’s ace forward, who boasts 31 goals in 47 matches.
Alongside Victor Osimhen, Eric Chelle has Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze at the fore, and the duo of Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi at the rear, providing some assurance.
Furthermore, Alexander Iwobi, likely to win his 93rd cap, will be expected to play a key role in Nigeria’s challenge for the three points. Captain Wilfred Ndidi will surely be called upon several times to break up the play of the fast-paced Tunisians.
Nigeria Vs Tunisia 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 (Friendly: Tunis)
06 Jul 1985: Nigeria 1-0 Tunisia (WCq: Lagos)
20 Jul 1985: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria (WCq: Tunis)
22 Feb 1992: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (SCSA: Tunis)
09 Aug 1997: Tunisia 2-0 Nigeria (LG Cup: Tunis)
23 Jan 2000: Nigeria 4-2 Tunisia (AFCON: Lagos)
11 Feb 2004: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Rades): Tunisia win 4-3 on penalties.
04 Feb 2006: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Port Said): Nigeria win 6-5 on penalties.
20 Jun 2009: Tunisia 0-0 Nigeria (WCq: Rades).
06 Sep 2009: Nigeria 2-2 Tunisia (WCq: Abuja).
22 Jan 2016: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (CHAN: Kigali).
17 Jul 2019: Nigeria 1-0 Tunisia (AFCON: Cairo).
13 Oct 2020: Tunisia 1-1 Nigeria (Friendly: St. Veit, Austria).
23 Jan 2022: Tunisia 1-0 Nigeria (AFCON: Garoua).
