As two of Africa’s footballing powerhouses with “Eagles” in their popular names square off against each other in what is only their third international friendly on Tuesday, October 13 at the Jacques Arena in Austria THEWILL takes a look back at the head-to-head record between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.
Overall, their match on Tuesday marks the 20th meeting between the two former African champions over the years. Each side has won six times apiece. The remaining seven games have ended in draws.
In their first ever tie, a 1961 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, Nigeria triumphed 2-0 at home in the Surulere Stadium, Lagos. However, in a twist of fate and under very controversial circumstances, it was the Carthage Eagles who qualified for the tournament.
It happened in the return leg where Nigeria, 2-1 ahead of Tunisia, kept the pressure going at the Stade Chedly Zouiten in Tunis. Then, a hotly debated Tunisian equaliser which the referee refused to rescind forced a Nigerian walkout in the 65th minute.
Tunisia was thus awarded a 2–0 win and qualified for the final by an aggregate score of 3–2.
At their subsequent meeting, the North Africans yet again proved to be Nigeria’s nemesis. This time it was in the qualification rounds of the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
The Green Eagles, as they were known as the time, pulled off a credible scoreless draw in Tunisia and expectations for qualifying were high. Only for Tunisia to deal them a 1-0 sucker-punch at home in the return fixture.
The two Eagles teams continued their acrimonious face-offs that same year at the losers’ finals, the third-place match, of the 11th edition of AFCON tagged GHANA ’78.
Mohamed Amid had given the Tunisians an early lead, scoring just 19 minutes into the game and it gave the Carthage Eagles confidence to press with a high line. Then, Baba Otu Mohammed stabbed home an equaliser for the Super Eagles just before halftime to the displeasure of their opponents, who vehemently protested the goal.
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Since the match officials held on to the decision and unable to control their displeasure, the Tunisian team walked off in protest of the officiating. In a reversal of fortunes, CAF awarded Nigeria a 2-0 win, and banned the Tunisians from the next tournament as penalty.
It will take 20 years after their initial victory over Tunisia for Nigeria to register a second. And it would come a fortnight after recording another loss to the Cartage Eagles in Tunis. These took place in July 1980, and both were with the same scoreline, 2-0 (2-0 loss in Tunis, 2-0 win in Lagos).
This time round, it was the West Africans who advanced to the second round of the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying series after a penalty shootout.
With so much acrimony in previous meetings, a first international friendly match was organised in 1984 between the two nations to smoothen strained relations. It turned out to be the biggest score margin ever between these two teams and worst for the Green Eagles. Tunisia walloped them to a 5-0 win.
Nigeria quickly put the loss behind them the following year to win where it mattered most. A 1-0 victory during another World Cup qualifier. But, the sweetness of the win turned sour when the North Africans responded with a 2-0 win a fortnight later.
A second international friendly match ended 1-1 in 1992 before Tunisia, as host, defeated Nigeria 2-0 in the final of the inaugural edition of the LG Cup in 1997.
They were bound to meet again when Nigeria, co-host of AFCON 2000 alongside Ghana, shared Group D with Tunisia. This time, Nigeria had capable representation that more than matched the quality in the Tunisian squad. The result said it all. A brace each from the mercurial Austin Okocha and pacy forward Victor Ikpeba helped the Super Eagles to a 4-2 win in front of over 80,000 spectators at the National Stadium in Lagos.
They met again in 2004 with Tunisia hosting the AFCON. And though Jay Jay Okocha was voted the best player of the tournament, it was the hosts who knocked the Nigerians out on penalties after full-time scores stood at 1-1.
The reverse turned out to be the case at the next AFCON in Egypt. Nigeria’s vengeance was complete when the Super Eagles edged past the Carthage Eagles on penalties.
Three more draws followed between the two nations between 2009 and 2016 before the fixture sprung up again last year at the third-place match of the African Cup of Nations. Odion Ighalo’s third-minute strike after some calamitous Tunisian defending at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt was all the Super Eagles needed to power past the North Africans and secure the tournament’s bronze medal.
The 20th meeting awaits on Tuesday, October 13 at the Jacques Lehmans Arena in Austria.
THEWILL believes that though it is a friendly, there is history beckoning on each side to edge ahead of the other with a victory or to lengthen the number of draws they have shared in previous meetings. And, though it promises to be another exciting 90 minutes of continental football, there are ramifications for the players and management of both sides to be determined by the result from this 20th meeting.
The game kicks off at 7:30 pm Nigerian time.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
