Uganda and Nigeria will meet at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals for only the second time in history when they clash in a Group C encounter at the Complex Sportif de Fès today by 5pm.
Their lone previous meeting at the AFCON finals dates back 47 years to the semi-finals of the 1978 tournament. On that occasion, Uganda edged Nigeria 2-1 in a tightly contested match, a result that still stands as the Cranes’ only victory over the Super Eagles at the continental finals.
Abdulla Nasur opened the scoring for Uganda in the 11th minute of that historic encounter before Martins Eyo levelled for Nigeria shortly after the break. Phillip Omondi then struck the decisive goal four minutes later to seal Uganda’s passage to the final and etch the fixture into AFCON folklore.
Beyond the finals, the two nations have crossed paths eight times in all competitions. Uganda holds a narrow historical advantage, with four wins to Nigeria’s two, while two matches have ended in draws. The fixture has often been closely fought, reflecting contrasting styles and competitive balance.
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Nigeria and Uganda have also shared a group in AFCON qualification campaigns, notably on the road to the 1994 and 2008 tournaments. Across those four qualifying matches, Nigeria claimed two wins, Uganda one, with one draw, and the Super Eagles progressed on both occasions.
Recent history, however, offers encouragement for Uganda. The Cranes are unbeaten in their last three matches against Nigeria, recording two wins and a draw, including a goalless friendly in Asaba in November 2018. Nigeria’s last victory over Uganda came in March 2007, when Nwankwo Kanu scored the only goal in a 1-0 qualifying win in Abeokuta, a reminder of how rare Super Eagles success has been in this intriguing rivalry.
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