International Football
NIGERIA, ZAMBIA IN FINAL SHOWDOWN
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
When the Super Eagles take on Zambia in Uyo on Saturday, it will be the second time ever both sides are meeting in a World Cup qualifier even though the make-or-mar encounter will be their 19th confrontation.
The duel is the reciprocal of last year’s first ever clash of both teams in a World Cup qualifying match. Unlike the previous one which anniversary will be two days after the Uyo clash, this match carries greater weight as it may mark the end of the World Cup struggles in the Group B of African qualifying series.
A possible win by Nigeria sees the Super Eagles picking a World Cup ticket, even with a match to spare. The last time that happened was in the qualifiers for the France ’98.
For Zambia, hoping for a first ever World Cup appearance, it will be the end of yet another struggle. But a win still keep them in struggle, even if it means tying in points with Nigeria, leaving goal difference as possible decider as both would head to their last games against already eliminated pre-series powerhouses of Cameroon and Algeria.
In that scenario, advantage sways more to Zambia’s favour having to play the last match at home against Cameroon which may not invest much in the encounter by inviting their legion of foreign stars.
Nigeria will then be away to Algeria, which has most of its national team players featuring in the domestic league and would therefore be available for a face-saving duel with Nigeria which will be banking on picking the World ticket in Algeria as it happened in 1993.
Another likely outcome in Saturday’s match is a draw which pushes both teams struggling till the last match day.
Should that be the case, Zambia will require a defeat of at least five goals against Cameroon next month and hope Nigeria drops all points in the match with Algeria. A draw will be sufficient for Nigeria in that scenario.
Zambia had always found Nigeria a hard nut to crack even though honours have almost been equally shared in encounters of both sides. In the 18 previous clashes Nigeria won seven while Zambia won five.
Zambia’s most famous win against Nigeria was the 5-1 recorded 44 years ago in a 1974 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Lusaka. That was barely nine months after Nigeria had picked the gold medal of the football event of the 2nd All Africa Games in Lagos.
Surprisingly, it was Nigeria that opened scoring in the encounter after five minutes. By half time, Nigeria had already conceded four goals. That remained Zambia’s only memorable win over Nigeria. They will need an encore of this to push the Super Eagles to the second position on the ladder, given the high goal difference advantage that Nigeria currently enjoys.
Sports Village Square recalls that Chipolopolo last beat Nigeria in a competitive game 32 years ago when a last minute goal in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier denied the Super Eagles an appearance at the 1986 finals edition.
The first leg in Lagos ended goalless and the return leg on August 18, 1985 appeared destined for the same score line and the tie would be broken by penalty kick. Then the unexpected happened.
Zambia’s swift right winger, Lucky Nsiska, living up to his first name, collected the ball few metres from Nigeria’s half of the field.
He beat a Nigerian defender and sent another the wrong way with body swerve before setting a pass for a dashing Jack Chanda who put all strength in his right foot to fire a terrific shot past Goalkeeper Peter Rufai, almost on the dot of 90th minute.
Since that memorable loss, Nigeria have always had the edge over Zambia in subsequent encounters especially the 2-0 win in the 1990 Africa Cup semi final duel and the 2-1 recorded when Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time in 1994.
NIGERIA VERSUS ZAMBIA: TALE OF THE TAPE
P W D L F A
Nigeria 18 7 7 5 18 21
Zambia 18 5 7 7 21 18
15 July 1973: Zambia 5 -1 Nigeria: 1974 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
29 Jul. 1973: Nigeria 3-2 Zambia: 1974 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
14 Feb. 1976: Zambia 1-3 Nigeria Friendly match
10 Mar. 1978: Zambia 0-0 Nigeria: 1978 Africa Cup of Nations.
25 Jul. 1981: Zambia 3-0 Nigeria: Friendly Match
13 Mar. 1982: Zambia 3-0 Nigeria: 1982 Africa Cup of Nations.
10 Aug. 1985: Nigeria 0-0 Zambia: 1986 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
18 Aug.1985: Zambia 1-0 Nigeria: 1986 Africa Cup of Nations.
12 Mar. 1990: Zambia 0-2 Nigeria: 1990 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
10 April 1994: Zambia 1-2 Nigeria: 1994 Africa Cup of Nations final match.
15 Dec. 1997: Zambia 2-0 Nigeria: Friendly
18 Dec. 1997: Zambia 0-0 Nigeria: Friendly
13 Jan. 2001: Nigeria 1-0 Zambia: 2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
24 Mar.2001: Zambia 1-1 Nigeria: 2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
6 Jan.2010: Zambia 0-0 Nigeria: Friendly
25 Jan.2010: Zambia 0-0 Nigeria *(3-4 penalties): 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Quarter finals.
14 Nov 2011: Nigeria 2-0 Zambia: Friendly match.
25 Jan. 2013: Zambia 1-1 Nigeria: 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
9 Oct. 2016: Zambia 1-2 Nigeria: 2018 World Cup qualifier
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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