Nigeria’s Flying Eagles were held to a goalless draw by Morocco in a fiercely contested Group B encounter at the ongoing CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo on Sunday.
The encounter, reminiscent of their dramatic 2005 semi-final showdown that ended in a penalty shootout victory for Nigeria after a 2-2 draw, delivered intensity and grit, but neither side could find the cutting edge in front of goal.
Marking their 99th appearance in the history of the U-20 AFCON, Nigeria dominated stretches of the game but failed to convert their superiority into goals, missing the chance to clinch a 57th win in the competition’s storied history.
After opening their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Tunisia, coach Aliyu Zubairu’s side hoped to record back-to-back victories for the first time since 2015. However, Morocco’s disciplined and resilient approach blunted Nigeria’s attacking edge.
Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi was a standout performer, registering the most touches (75) and completing 59 passes at a success rate of 72.9%. His leadership at the back ensured that Nigeria’s goalkeeper Ebenezer Harcourt went largely untested, with Morocco failing to register a single shot on target.
The clash was marred by frequent stoppages due to physical challenges and injuries. Morocco were forced into an early substitution as Othmane Maamma was withdrawn in added time. Nigeria also suffered setbacks, with Divine Oliseh and Clinton Jephta picking up knocks that led to their replacements.
Despite several promising moments, including late attempts by Israel Ayuma, Divine Oliseh, and Emmanuel Chukwu, Nigeria’s forwards were unable to convert their chances. Ayuma fired wide in stoppage time, while Chukwu’s header in the first half flew over the bar.
The match saw a flurry of yellow cards as tensions rose. Nigeria’s Rickson Mendos and Clinton Jephta were booked for rough tackles, with Morocco’s Hossam Essadak and Hamza Koutoune also cautioned.
With the draw, Nigeria extended their unbeaten streak in second group matches to five (W3, D2), a run that dates back to their last defeat in such fixtures in 2011 against Cameroon.
The result leaves Group B finely balanced, with Nigeria and Morocco level on four points, one ahead of Tunisia. The final round of matches on Wednesday will decide the quarter-finalists, as Nigeria face bottom-placed Kenya—yet to earn a point—at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo, while Morocco take on Tunisia in a decisive encounter at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.
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