Flying Eagles battle Carthage Eagles for AFCON U-20 bronze medal
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles will go head-to-head with Tunisia’s U-20 national team in the third-place match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday, 10 March.
Both teams were booted out of the competition after losing their semifinal matches.
The Flying Eagles, seven-time champions of this tournament, were stunned 1-0 by Gambia, as they lacked the cutting edge in attack. Meanwhile, Tunisia, runners-up to Nigeria in 1985, were completely outclassed by Senegal 3-0.
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Nigeria has a better record in Egypt, winning three out of five games played, whereas Tunisia only has one victory in regulation time. The Carthage Eagles lost the third-place match at the 2021 edition to Gambia and would be keen to finish on a high against the Flying Eagles this time.
The two teams have already qualified for the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup, so it’s only a matter of pride and a place on the right side of the history books left to fight for in Cairo.
Interestingly, Nigeria and Tunisia first met in the second round of the African Youth Championship in 1981, with the West Africans claiming victory with a 5-4 aggregate win over two legs.
They met again in the final of the 1985 tournament, with Nigeria winning after beating the North Africans 3-2 on aggregate.
However, the two teams have not played each other since, either during the qualification series or the tournament proper.
The Flying Eagles will hope history can repeat itself and hand them their third win over the Carthage Eagles at the championship.