Overview:
Nigeria have not beaten Uganda since that controversial 1-0 victory on 24 March 2007 at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, with Nwankwo Kanu scoring the only goal in the 73rd minute. Uganda was robbed of a would-be equaliser through Geoffrey Sserunkuma.
For only the second time, Uganda will face three-time champions Nigeria in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The other only meeting was in 1978 when the Cranes overcame the Super 2-1 enroute to reaching the final where they lost 2-0 to Ghana in Kumasi.
The meeting at Complex Sportif de Fes on Tuesday December 30 holds much significance to Uganda than Nigeria who are already qualified as group toppers while the Cranes must win to stay in the competition.
Here, Ismael Kiyonga has collected some interesting stats and facts of the clash which kick off 17h00 local time (7pm Ugandan Time).
Abdallah Nasur and Phillip Omondi scored in the 2-1 win over Nigeria in the 1978 semi-final. Nigeria’s consolation was scored by Martins Eyo.
In all competitions including friendly matches, Uganda edges Nigeria with 4 wins to Nigeria 2 in 8 meetings. [D2].
In the Afcon qualifiers, Nigeria holds edge with two wins against Uganda’s 1 with the other being a draw. Both nations were paired together in qualifying for the 1994 and 2008 tournaments. On both occasions, Nigeria progressed ahead of Uganda.
Uganda are currently three matches unbeaten against Nigeria (W2 D1) with the latest meeting being an international friendly played on 20 November 2018, which ended in a goalless draw in Asaba.
Nigeria have not beaten Uganda since that controversial 1-0 victory on 24 March 2007 at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, with Nwankwo Kanu scoring the only goal in the 73rd minute. Uganda was robbed of a would-be equaliser through Geoffrey Sserunkuma.
Uganda – Key Statistics
- Uganda are winless in five Afcon consecutive matches with the last win coming against DR Congo in the 2019 opening game of the tournament for either. [D2, L3] and that was also the team’s last clean sheet.
- Uganda last won a final group game in 1978 when they beat Morocco 3-0, advanced up to the final and lost 2-0 to Ghana losing final games in 1968, 1974, 1976 and 2019.
- The last time Uganda avoided defeat in the final group game was in 2017, drawing 1-1 with Mali.
- Failure to win against Nigeria will see Uganda exit AFCON for a sixth time without registering a victory, having also gone winless in 1962, 1968, 1974, 1976 and 2017.
- Progression to the next round would see them advance beyond the group stage for only the third time, after 1978 and 2019.
Nigeria – Key Statistics
- This will be Nigeria’s 16th successive appearance in the AFCON knockout rounds last failing to achieve the feat in 1982. Overall, they have reached the knock out stages on 19 times.
- Victory over Tunisia was Nigeria’s 35th group-stage win at AFCON, achieved in their 59th group match (W35 D14 L10); only Egypt (41) has more group-stage wins.
- Nigeria is looking at winning all three group matches at an AFCON for the first time since 2021.
- They have found the net in their last eight AFCON group matches, last failing to score in their final group game of the 2019 tournament, a 2-0 loss to Madagascar.
- Nigeria have conceded a goal in each of their last four AFCON matches; their last clean sheet came in a 1-0 victory over Angola in the quarter-finals of the 2023 tournament.