CAIRO – Egypt’s U-20 national team, led by head coach Osama Nabih, has completed its preparations ahead of a crucial Group A clash against Zambia in the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. The match is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 pm Cairo Local Time on Saturday at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium.
The Young Pharaohs are looking to bounce back after a 4-1 defeat to Sierra Leone in the second round of group action on Wednesday at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in Ismailia.
Following that result, Sierra Leone now leads Group A with four points. Egypt and South Africa trail closely behind with three points each, while Zambia and Tanzania sit at the bottom with one and zero points, respectively.
Egypt opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over South Africa, courtesy of a well-taken goal by Mohamed Abdullah.
The tournament, hosted by Egypt, also serves as a qualifying pathway to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, set to take place in Chile in 2025.
Group A features a competitive lineup of Egypt, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Tanzania.
The top two teams from each of the three groups will advance to the quarter-finals, alongside the two best third-placed teams. The four semi-finalists will book their spots at the U-20 World Cup.
Saturday’s group stage action continues with Tanzania taking on Sierra Leone in the late fixture.
Elsewhere, seven-time champions Nigeria kicked off their quest for an eighth title with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Tunisia in their Group B opener at the Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.
Auwal Ibrahim’s composed finish in the 38th minute, following a pinpoint assist from Odinaka Okoro, proved decisive in a game filled with physical duels, tactical battles, and late drama.
Despite dominating the first half, Nigeria had to weather a spirited Tunisian response, with Omar Ben Ali and Anis Doubal coming close to an equalizer.
Tunisia’s best opportunity came in the 87th minute, but Doubal’s effort was safely gathered by the Nigerian keeper.
Nigeria’s midfield duo, Divine Oliseh and Clinton Jephta, controlled the tempo for large portions of the match. However, the second half grew increasingly scrappy, with six yellow cards evenly split between the sides.
Tunisia, semi-finalists in both 2021 and 2023, pushed for a late goal through a series of corners and long-range efforts, but Nigeria’s defense, anchored by Daniel Bameyi and Adamu Maigari, held firm.
The result sees Nigeria claim three crucial points in a tough group that includes Morocco and Kenya. Tunisia, meanwhile, face mounting pressure ahead of their next fixture as their winless run against West African sides at this level extends back to 1987.
The 2025 edition of the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations runs from April 27 to May 18, with 13 nations competing for continental glory and four coveted tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
This marks Egypt’s 14th appearance at the tournament. The host nation boasts a proud record, having lifted the title four times (1981, 1991, 2003, and 2013)—second only to Nigeria.
Egypt stepped in to host the tournament following the late withdrawal of Côte d’Ivoire and now aim to capitalize on home advantage as one of the tournament favorites.
