Egypt’s national team edged past Nigeria’s Super Eagles with a hard-fought 2–1 victory in an international friendly played on Tuesday night, offering both sides a final competitive test ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The encounter, staged at the historic Cairo International Stadium, was billed as a dress rehearsal for AFCON 2025 in Morocco, with two of Africa’s football heavyweights measuring their readiness just days before the tournament kicks off.

Egypt Strike First, Nigeria Respond Late

The Pharaohs began the match on the front foot, controlling the tempo and pinning Nigeria back with sustained pressure. Their early dominance eventually told in the 28th minute when Mahmoud Saber finished off a well-worked move, calmly converting a delivery from Ahmed Sayed, popularly known as Zizo, to give Egypt the lead.

Nigeria gradually settled into the contest and began to pose questions of their own as halftime approached. Their persistence paid off in stoppage time when a set-piece sparked chaos in the Egyptian box. Zaidu Sanusi’s free kick crashed off the crossbar, and Chidozie Awaziem reacted quickest to nod in the rebound, restoring parity just before the break.

Mohamed Delivers The Winner

Both teams emerged from halftime eager to take control, trading attacks in an open second half. Egypt, however, struck the decisive blow in the 53rd minute. Mostafa Mohamed expertly timed his run to evade Nigeria’s defensive line before unleashing a powerful finish beyond goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.

Nigeria pushed forward in search of another equalizer, with fresh legs introduced and striker Paul Onuachu leading late pressure in the final minutes. Despite the Super Eagles’ efforts, Egypt’s backline remained composed, seeing out the game to secure a confidence-boosting win.

Final tune-up Before AFCON

The result will encourage Egypt as they head into AFCON 2025 with momentum and belief, reinforcing their status as one of the tournament’s top contenders. For Nigeria, the loss serves as a timely reminder of areas that need tightening, particularly at the back, as head coach Eric Chelle fine-tunes his squad.

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The Super Eagles are expected to leave for their base in Fès, Morocco, where preparations will continue ahead of their opening group match against Tanzania on December 23.