Nigeria and Uganda will on Tuesday evening face off in a match that holds different stakes for both teams as Nigeria, a three-time champion, wraps up its group stage at the ongoing 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Cranes have historically posed a challenge for the Super Eagles since their first encounter in an AFCON semi-final 47 years ago.
They need a victory to have any hope of continuing their tournament journey beyond Tuesday, while the Super Eagles, already assured a spot in the Round of 16 regardless of the outcome, only require a draw to secure the top position in Group C.
Veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango and his teammates can only blame themselves for being stuck on one point heading into the final group match.
After a tough loss to Tunisia and falling behind against Tanzania, Nigeria-born Uche Ikpeazu came off the bench to equalize against the Taifa Stars.
They had a chance to claim all three points, but Allan Okelo missed a penalty kick.
The only option left for Uganda is to defeat the Eagles. However, with Nigeria focused on maintaining its winning mentality and instilling fear in potential trophy contenders, this seems unlikely.
The Cranes will also face the challenge of containing Osimhen, who has scored 32 goals in 48 matches for Nigeria and is eager to celebrate his 27th birthday with a special performance. A player of his caliber is difficult to restrain.
Nigeria holds the record for the most appearances in the AFCON knockout stages, making this their 19th time.
Their victory over Tunisia marked the Eagles’ 35th group-stage win in the tournament’s history.
Nigeria has lost only one of its last 16 AFCON group-stage matches, with that defeat coming against Madagascar in Egypt.
Uganda will draw on the historical matchups between the two nations with optimism.
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In their eight previous meetings, the Cranes have only lost twice, securing four victories and drawing twice.
Five of these matches have been closely contested, and Ugandans fondly remember how their star forward, Philip Omondi, scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over Nigeria during the 1978 AFCON semi-finals.
Uganda has triumphed in two of the three international friendly matches, with the remaining match ending in a draw.
Historically, Uganda has advanced past the AFCON group stage only twice, in 1978 in Ghana and in 2019 in Egypt.
In a pre-match press conference on Monday, Coach Eric Chelle stated: “The competition is not just for the starting 11; everyone deserves a chance to play and demonstrate their value to the team.
“Sometimes, a player who comes off the bench can change the course of a game or even win a tournament. My goal is to field the best team every time.”
Captain Ndidi added: “The atmosphere within the team is positive. Everyone is excited and confident, but we must focus on the next game, leaving past matches behind.”
