Nigeria’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles, kicked off their campaign preparations in style with a 2-1 victory over Egypt in a pulsating friendly on Tuesday in Cairo ahead of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The young Eagles wasted no time asserting dominance, with Kparobo Arierhi breaking the deadlock just 10 minutes in, thanks to a clever assist from Bidemi Amole that he calmly tucked past the Egyptian goalkeeper.
The hosts, determined not to be outshone on home turf, fought back and found the equalizer in the 65th minute through Ahmed Kaabaka. But Nigeria responded with resilience.
Divine Oliseh was brought down in the box late in the game, handing Precious Benjamin the chance to restore the lead—and he made no mistake, converting the 83rd-minute penalty with confidence.
The result is a confidence booster for the Flying Eagles, who only just arrived in Egypt on Sunday to prepare for the 17th edition of the U-20 AFCON, scheduled to run from April 27 to May 18.
Seven-time champions Nigeria will begin their Group B campaign against Tunisia on Thursday, before facing off with Morocco and Kenya in subsequent fixtures.
Beyond continental glory, the stakes are high—only the top four teams will book their place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, slated for September 27 to October 19.
With a winning start in friendly action, Nigeria’s young stars are sending a clear message: they’re ready to soar.
