Can Super Eagles banish ghost of AFCON past against Tunisia?

Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has stressed that Nigeria is approaching the top-of-the-table clash against Tunisia with full awareness of history, yet a fresh mindset.

Reflecting on the painful memories of the 2021 Round of 16 exit to the North Africans, the former Leicester City midfielder insisted the current squad is focused on creating its own legacy.

“2021 was tough. It was a painful loss, but it gives us confidence. When we talked about it, everyone was focused. This is a new team with new players. We are here to set our own standards and achieve our goals,” Ndidi said.

Among the 28 players called up by Eric Chelle for AFCON 2025, nine, including Ndidi, Samuel Chukwueze, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, and Semi Ajayi were part of the squad eliminated by Tunisia four years ago. 

What happened between Super Eagles and Tunisia in 2021?

Nigeria entered the 2021 Round of 16 clash full of confidence, having won all three of their group matches. Augustine Eguavoen’s squad was tipped to progress deep into the tournament, and expectations among fans were sky-high. This was despite the fact that the former Nigeria international had only stepped into the role on the eve of the tournament, taking over following the untimely sacking of former boss Gernot Rohr.

In contrast to their swashbuckling group stage displays, however, the Super Eagles were unable to establish any kind of rhythm or consistent threat, and were largely kept at bay by their North African counterparts.

To worsen matters, the Carthage Eagles then struck early in the second half, with a deflected shot beating Maduka Okoye and giving the Eagles of Carthage the lead. Nigeria found themselves chasing the game, and in an attempt to turn things around, Alex Iwobi was introduced as a substitute. However, just minutes after coming on, he was shown a straight red card, leaving Nigeria with ten men.

From that point, the Super Eagles struggled to regain control. Tunisia’s defense remained organized, absorbing pressure and exploiting Nigeria’s numerical disadvantage. Despite several chances, the team could not find an equalizer, and the match ended in a 1-0 defeat.