Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem has called on the team to focus on the positives from their 2-1 friendly defeat to Egypt as they prepare for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The match, played at Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday night, saw Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohammed score for the Pharaohs, while Awaziem netted Nigeria’s lone goal with a header late in the first half.
Speaking to the Super Eagles media, Awaziem described the game as a valuable test for the team. “It was a good test for us. Egypt is not an easy country to play against. They have a couple of good players. The purpose of the friendly was for us to test ourselves before the AFCON, for the coach to try new players, new tactics, and prepare well for the AFCON,” he said.
Reflecting on the performance, Awaziem added: “It was a good test, though the result wasn’t good, it was not what we wanted. The focus was for us to see our structure, different players, see the newly invited players, and what they can contribute to the team. I think the coach has seen that. For now, we should take the positives from the game, and move to the AFCON. We dominated the game, pinned them back. We had so many chances to score. Just like I said, we just have to take the positives and move ahead.”
The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to preparations for the 2025 AFCON, aiming to convert lessons from the friendly into strong performances on the continental stage.
