Former beach soccer star, Abu Azeez, has cautioned the Super Eagles to be wary of Tunisia ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations group clash on Saturday, warning that conceding first could put Nigeria under serious pressure.
Nigeria and Tunisia both secured victories in their opening matches of the ongoing 2025 AFCON in Morocco and will face each other later on Saturday in their second group fixture. Azeez said the Super Eagles must approach the encounter with focus and discipline, describing the Carthage Eagles as a stronger side than Nigeria’s first opponents.
Speaking on the Home Turf podcast, Azeez noted that allowing Tunisia to score first could complicate Nigeria’s campaign, especially with the final group game still to come. He stressed that defeat would pile pressure on the team, adding that matches at this stage of the tournament are unpredictable.
The former international advised the Super Eagles against treating the match as a revenge mission, despite losing 1–0 to Tunisia in their last meeting. He described the North Africans as fast, technically sound and physically strong, likening their style of play to European teams.
Azeez urged the Super Eagles to maintain a high level of concentration throughout the game and target an early goal, insisting that Tunisia are beatable. He said scoring first would boost Nigeria’s confidence, while conceding early could unsettle the team and hand the advantage to their opponents.
