AFCON
AS SUPER EAGLES CLOCK 70; 20 AMAZING FACTS AHEAD OF NIGERIA-GUINEA AFCON MATCH
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Both Nigeria and Guinea meet in Alexandria on Wednesday in continuation of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
As usual, www.sportsvillagesquare.com takes an insightful look at the match and comes out with the following 20 points of interest.
- The match marks the 70th year since the Nigeria national team was first composed on June 26, 1949 when the names of 17 of the eventual 18 national team players were announced. The 18th player, Okoronkwo Kanu (anglicized as Kanoo) was added on July 2, 1949. The announcement was made by the national team selection committee after four trial matches involving selected sides from the Northern Nigeria, East, West and Lagos.
- The encounter with Guinea will be Nigeria’s 88th Africa Cup of Nations’ match in 18 out of 32 editions. The Super Eagles have won 46 of the preceding 87 matches; lost 19 drew 22 and had scored 121 goals, conceding 84.
- The encounter will be Guinea’s 41st Africa Cup of Nations’ match in 13 of 32 editions winning 11 drew 15, lost 13 and scoring 55 goals while conceding 57.
- The match will be the second time both Nigeria and Guinea will in the Africa Cup of Nations finals. Both played in the second round of the 1976 edition in Ethiopia.
Ali Bangoura at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Guinea’s coach, Paul Put from Belgium will be lining up a team against Nigeria for the third time. In 2013, he guided Burkina Faso to two matches against Nigeria. The first at the group stage ended 1-1, while Nigeria won the second match, the final game of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He will therefore be on a vengeance mission on Wednesday.
- Guinea was the stepping stone for Nigeria’s first participation at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1963.
- Guinea was the team that denied Nigeria qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the last to be held on an even-numbered year.
- Guinea was the last team the Super Eagles played against at the Abuja arena, now renamed MKO Abiola National Stadium.
- Guinea was the team Nigeria beat to get first continental honours, the gold medal of the 2nd All Africa Games football event, the only gold medal Nigeria won in the 54-year old sports fiesta.
- Some Nigeria-Guinea matches had dramatic endings featuring last minute goals. There are three of such instances.
- In 1976 both met at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations in Ethiopia. Final score line was 1-1 following Muda Lawal’s goal in the 52nd minute and Papa Camara’s equaliser at the dot of 90 minutes.
- On April 25, 1981, both teams met in A World Cup qualifier in Lagos. Scores were even in the first leg in Conakry, making the Lagos match the ultimate decider. Henry Nwosu scored in the last minute to give Nigeria the edge.
- On October 8, 2011, both played a 2-2 draw as Guinea’s Ibrahim Diallo scored a last minute goal that denied Nigeria, the qualification for 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Mikel Obi, if fielded, will be the only member of the 2011 squad of the Super Eagles that will be in the line-up when Nigeria faces Guinea again on Wednesday.
- Both Nigeria and Guinea maintained rivalries in the 1963 with the introduction of the Tafawa Balewa Cup, a trophy donated for bilateral competition by the first Nigerian Prime Minister. In the first leg of the only edition of the competition, Guinea beat Nigeria 3-0 in Conakry while the return leg ended 1-1 in Lagos.
- Former Nigerian striker, Daniel Amokachi last scored for the Super Eagles in an encounter with Guinea on April 5, 1997.
- Former Nigerian skipper, Muda Lawal scored the first of his 11 goals for Nigeria in the March 9, 1976 match against at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ethiopia.
- Super Eagles have three victories in the Africa Cup of Nations and placed runners up five times and seven third placed positions while Guinea’s best outing is the runners up position in 1976.
- Both Nigeria and Guinea maintained rivalries in the 1963 with the introduction of the Tafawa Balewa Cup, a trophy donated for bilateral competition by the first Nigerian Prime Minister. In the first leg of the only edition of the competition, Guinea beat Nigeria 3-0 in Conakry while the return leg ended 1-1 in Lagos
- A win for Nigeria on Wednesday secures a Round of 16 ticket, even with a match to spare.
- Wednesday’s match will be the 15th confrontation of the Super Eagles and Syli Nationale of Guinea. Honours are evenly shared with both teams winning four matches and losing the same number of games. They drew six times. This Africa Cup of Nations’ confrontation will therefore be a “tie-breaker”.
NIGERIA-GUINEA HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 14 4 6 4 17 14
Guinea 14 4 6 4 14 17
- 27 Jul. 1963 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea
- 6 Oct. 1963 (Afconq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria * match awarded to Nigeria on technical ground
- 1 Dec. 1971(Balewa Cup) Guinea 3-0 Nigeria
- 30 Jan. 1972(Balewa Cup) Nigeria 1-1 Guinea
- 18 Jan. 1973 (2AAG) Nigeria 2-0 Guinea
- 9 March 1976 (Afcon) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 12 Apr. 1981 (WCq) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 25 Apr. 1981 (WCq) Nigeria 1-0 Guinea
- 9 Apr. 1989(Afconq) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 22 Apr. 1989 (Afconq) Nigeria 3-0 Guinea
- 5 Apr. 1997 (WCq) Nigeria 2-1 Guinea
- 17 Aug. 1997 (WCq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria
- 10 Oct. 2010 (Afconq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria
- 8 Oct. 2011 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea
AFCON
Nigerians, other nationals can apply, as CAF and Morocco Launch Volunteer Programme for AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Morocco have launched the official Volunteer Programme for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, billed to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
According to CAF, more than 4,000 volunteers will be recruited to play a central role in ensuring the success of Africa’s most prestigious football tournament, which will be staged across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.
Applications are now open at volunteers.cafonline.com and will close on 8 October 2025. The opportunity is open to anyone above the age of 18.
Volunteers will be deployed across multiple functional areas, including media operations, spectator services, accreditation, hospitality, and fan engagement. Selected individuals will receive professional training ahead of the competition and work behind the scenes to deliver a memorable AFCON.
CAF stated that the programme is designed not only to support tournament operations but also to create an alumni network of skilled Africans who can contribute to future sporting events across the continent. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Training and skill development.
- Official uniforms and certificates of participation.
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
- The chance to contribute to Africa’s football legacy.
Volunteer registration opened on 17 September 2025. Selection and training will take place in October and November, with operations commencing in mid-December through to the tournament’s conclusion on 18 January 2026.
CAF described the initiative as an “exciting opportunity” for Africans to contribute to the growth of the continent’s flagship sporting event, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to Morocco.
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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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