Super Eagles, Pharaohs set for AFCON battle as history favours Nigeria

As the dust settles on Nigeria’s narrow semi-final defeat to hosts Morocco, the Super Eagles now turn their focus to finishing the 1XBET Africa Cup of Nations on a positive note.

Saturday’s third-place playoff against Egypt in Casablanca presents that opportunity, and luckily history suggests Nigeria have every reason to be confident.

This encounter marks the 10th time both heavyweights will clash at the AFCON finals, with Nigeria enjoying a superior record over the Pharaohs across decades of continental battles.

Below is a refreshed look at how the Super Eagles have fared against Egypt in previous AFCON meetings.

AFCON 1963 (Group Stage): Egypt 6-3 Nigeria

Nigeria’s AFCON debut in Ghana came against an experienced Egyptian side that had already won two continental titles. In their first-ever AFCON match, the Super Eagles were overwhelmed 6-3. A subsequent 4-0 loss to Sudan ensured an early exit for the debutants.

AFCON 1976 (Final Round): Nigeria 3-2 Egypt

The two sides did not meet again until the final round of the 1976 tournament in Ethiopia. After mixed results against Guinea and Morocco, Nigeria sealed a historic 3-2 victory over Egypt, securing their first-ever AFCON medal — bronze.

AFCON 1980 (Group Stage): Nigeria 1-0 Egypt

On home soil, the Super Eagles edged Egypt 1-0 in their final group match, booking a place in the semi-finals. Egypt also progressed after finishing second in the group, but Nigeria would go on to lift the trophy.

AFCON 1984 (Semi-finals): Nigeria 2-2 Egypt (Nigeria won 8-7 on penalties)

In Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt stunned Nigeria with an early two-goal lead. The Super Eagles responded with resilience, forcing extra time and eventually winning a dramatic penalty shootout. Nigeria later settled for silver after losing the final to Cameroon.

AFCON 1988 (Group Stage): Nigeria 0-0 Egypt

A cagey final group match in Morocco ended goalless, but the result favoured Nigeria, who advanced to the semi-finals on the back of earlier strong performances.

AFCON 1990 (Group Stage): Nigeria 1-0 Egypt

Following a heavy opening loss to hosts Algeria, Nigeria bounced back through a Rashidi Yekini strike to defeat Egypt 1-0. The win reignited their campaign and helped them reach the semi-finals.

AFCON 1994 (Group Stage): Nigeria 0-0 Egypt

Fresh from a commanding win over Gabon, Nigeria shared the spoils with Egypt in a tightly contested encounter. Both teams progressed to the knockout stage.

AFCON 2010 (Group Stage): Egypt 3-1 Nigeria

Egypt finally halted their AFCON drought against Nigeria in Angola. Despite Chinedu Obasi opening the scoring, the Pharaohs rallied to win 3-1. Egypt went on to claim the title, while Nigeria finished third.

AFCON 2021 (Group Stage): Nigeria 1-0 Egypt

The most recent AFCON meeting came in Cameroon, where Kelechi Iheanacho’s first-half strike handed Nigeria a hard-earned 1-0 victory. Egypt, however, recovered impressively to reach the final before losing to Senegal on penalties.

As both teams prepare to battle once more for pride and bronze, history leans slightly in Nigeria’s favour, but as AFCON rivalries have shown time and again, past records offer no guarantees.

So, what is your prediction for this clash between the Super Eagles and the Pharaohs?

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