The national football teams of Egypt and Nigeria are set to lock horns in Cairo on Tuesday.
This high-profile friendly serves as the final dress rehearsal for both sides before the highly anticipated 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins on Sunday.
Both squads spent Monday finalizing their preparations, looking to gauge their fitness and tactics one last time before traveling to the tournament host nation, Morocco.
The Pharaohs Prepared for Departure
Seven-time continental champions Egypt held a training session on Monday to sharpen their strategy.
Immediately following the match, the squad is scheduled to fly to Morocco to settle in for the group stage. The Pharaohs face a challenging path ahead, having been drawn against Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Angola.
Their campaign officially begins on December 22, when they take on Zimbabwe in their opening fixture.
Nigeria’s Selection Headaches
The Super Eagles also spent Monday fine-tuning their approach, though they face significant squad limitations.
Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, is expected to field an experimental starting eleven. The team is currently without several key stars, including Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen and Paris FC winger Moses Simon, neither of whom has joined the camp yet.
Despite these absences, the team is focused on their Group C campaign, where they will compete against Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania. All of Nigeria’s group stage matches will take place in the city of Fez.
Tournament Kickoff
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is set to run from December 21 through January 18.
Tuesday’s friendly encounter in Cairo is scheduled to kick off at 18:00 GMT (Tuesday, December 16). It offers fans a final glimpse of the continent’s heavyweights before the battle for African glory truly begins.
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