It remains to be seen if Mohamed Salah will play a part, having only recently joined up with the squad after leaving Liverpool over the weekend. He and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush have arrived in Cairo, but there remain concerns over their fitness to play the game at short notice after missing training on Monday.
The entire Nigeria squad were able to train on Monday evening, including Victor Osimhen. Head coach Eric Chelle is expected to name a strong team tonight as he continues to tinker with his squad after a disappointing failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Reporter at Stadium.
Egypt vs Nigeria latest news
- GOAL! Saber finishes off well-worked goal
Egypt 2-1 Nigeria
19:26 , Alex Young
56min: That was Mostafa Mohamed’s final act as he is replaced by Mohsen.
GOAL!
19:24 , Alex Young
53min: Mostafa Mohamed puts Egypt back in front!
Great work from Zizo in the build-up, who has caught the eye this evening, to create the space for his team-mate to score.
Obasogie in the Nigeria goal will not want to see that back again.
Egypt 1-1 Nigeria
19:22 , Alex Young
51min: Almost a fine move from Egypt, who are back on top this half. Ateya turns sharply and spots the run of Saber with a smart over-the-top ball, but it spins just out of reach and then out of play.
Egypt 1-1 Nigeria
19:20 , Alex Young
49min: Wreckless foul by Mostafa Mohamed as he tries to flick the ball away from Akinsanmiro’s head with his heel.
Egypt 1-1 Nigeria
19:18 , Alex Young
47min: Ajayi is on for goalscorer Awaziem, who was on a booking.
Second half
19:16 , Alex Young
46min: Back underway. I’ll go through the changes shortly, doesn’t appear to be too many.
19:15 , Alex Young
Here come the players for the second half. Looks like we will have some changes.
19:09 , Alex Young
All square in Cairo, much to Egypt’s annoyance.
Nigeria were second-best until a late flurry, and a fumble, sees them level at the break.
(REUTERS)
Half-time!
18:56 , Alex Young
48min: And that will do for the first half!
GOAL!
18:56 , Alex Young
47min: Lots of rough and tumble in the box delays the free kick being taken. Egypt seemingly not happy at its award, but it looked fair to me.
Zaidu fires in a shot straight at goal, which El Shenawy saves but the shot squirms under him and up towards the back post for Awaziem is head home from less than a yard out!
All square!
Egypt 1-0 Nigeria
18:53 , Alex Young
46min: A chance for Nigeria before the whistle as they win a free kick right on the edge of the box, on the right-hand side.
Egypt 1-0 Nigeria
18:52 , Alex Young
45min: Into one minute of added time. Nigeria are much-improved after that near-miss, they will not want the half-time whistle to blow.
Egypt 1-0 Nigeria
18:48 , Alex Young
40min: Almost an equaliser out of nothing!
A long throw into the box is contested by Onuachu and Ibrahim, with the latter beating the striker to the ball but inadvertently heading it backwards and over his keeper… but El Shenawy is able to pull off a fantastic save to preserve his clean sheet.
Egypt 1-0 Nigeria
18:42 , Alex Young
35min: It’s been all Egypt since the goal, pushing for a second. Nigeria need to settle and calm things down.
GOAL!
18:36 , Alex Young
28min: Egypt lead!
The corner is whipped in and cleared with ease, but Egypt recycle possession well. Hany sends Zizo scampering down the right, to send in smart, low ball across the face of goal for Saber to tap into an empty net.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:33 , Alex Young
26min: Corner to Egypt after Hany’s cross is cut out.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:26 , Alex Young
19min: Corner comes in from Zaidu, Egypt head the ball clear but it comes back to the Nigeria left-back to whip in another cross… which is over Onuachu’s head.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:25 , Alex Young
18min: Really smart from Ejuke on the right wing to win a corner, having beaten Ateya twice before Hany is left to boot the ball out of play.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:21 , Alex Young
14min: Nigeria have grown more into the game now, after a slightly slow start. Seeing more of the ball than Egypt.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:17 , Alex Young
9min: Free kick to Egypt, around 35 yards from goal.
Zizo opts to play it short rather than float a delivery into the box, which almost sees the move break down until the forward darts into the box to collect the return and attempts an ambitious overhead kick. There was some logic to that, I guess.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:14 , Alex Young
7min: First decent move of the match from Nigeria sees Onuachu bring the ball down and look to Ejuke on his right to whip the ball back in… but the hosts’ defence stands firm.
Egypt 0-0 Nigeria
18:12 , Alex Young
4min: Egypt with all the early possession, though are yet to create a chance.
Kick-off!
18:07 , Alex Young
1min: Egypt get us underway!
18:04 , Alex Young
Confirmed that Salah nor Marmoush are involved tonight. Kick-off is moments away.
18:00 , Alex Young
And now the two line-ups.
17:59 , Alex Young
Here come the players. Not too much urgency on show.
17:57 , Alex Young
Not long now.
17:52 , Alex Young
Egypt have not yet confirmed their substitutes – they are not necessarily required too given they have announced a squad for the tournament – but it is safe to assume neither Mo Salah or Omar Marmoush will be involved.
17:44 , Alex Young
So, no Victor Osimhen or Samuel Chukwueze in the squad at all for Nigeria, but the likes of Premier League pair Calvin Bassey and Frank Onyeka are involved.
Confirmed teams in full
17:32 , Alex Young
Egypt XI: El-Shenawy, Hany, Abdelmaguid, Ibrahim, Aboul-Fetouh, Attia, Ashour, Fathy, Saber, Zizo, Mohamed
Nigeria XI: Nwabali, Sanusi, Ogbu, Awaziem, Osayi-Samuel, Onyedika, Akinsanmiro, Onyeka, Ejuke, Onuachu, Dele-Bashiru
17:00 , Alex Young
An hour until kick-off. Team news is imminent.
(London Standard) 16:43 , Alex Young
This is the first meeting between these two teams in almost four years, last facing off in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria have won the last two meetings.
Nigeria squad
16:35 , Alex Young
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United), Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars), Francis Uzoho (Omonia)
Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Semi Ajayi (Hull City), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes), Zaidu Sanusi (Porto), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague), Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Frank Onyeka (Brentford), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge), Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa), Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias)
Forwards: Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla), Akor Adams (Sevilla), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Moses Simon (Paris FC), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor), Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos), Salim Fago Lawal (Istra 1961)
Egypt squad
16:25 , Alex Young
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Ahmed El Shenawy (Pyramids FC), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek)
Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Ahmed Eid (Al Masry), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Khaled Sobhi (Al Masry), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Mohamed Ismail (Zamalek), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek)
Midfielders: Marwan Attia (Al Ahly), Hamdi Fathi (Al Wakrah), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Mahmoud Saber (ZED FC), Mohamed Shehata (Zamalek), Imam Ashour (Al Ahly), Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” (Al Ahly), Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Al Jazira), Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids), Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Forwards: Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), Salah Mohsen (Al Masry), Osama Faisal (National Bank of Egypt SC)
16:14 , Alex Young
The good news for Nigeria is that Victor Osimhen is fit, and should feature tonight.
The fitness of their star player is an ongoing concern, for club and country. He played, and scored, for Galatasaray on Saturday in a 4-1 win over Antalyaspor.
Osimhen should start tonight, and could be supported by Samuel Chukwueze, who notched an assist for Fulham at the weekend.
16:07 , Alex Young
Nigeria are preparing for this AFCON under a cloud, having last month failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Head coach Eric Chelle was drafted in to rescue the failing qualification campaign, and failed. Little blame can be placed on his shoulders, but there will be an expectation of improvement in this tournament.
Nigeria reached the last AFCON final, and few are expecting them to repeat that feat, let alone go one better. A positive performance tonight will go some way to boost morale.
(AFP via Getty Images) 15:57 , Alex Young
Egypt’s 28-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations will be on show tonight, though there remain question marks over whether Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush will take part after missing training on Monday.
The Liverpool and Man City forwards played for their Premier League sides at the weekend, before departing for the national team on Monday.
The pair have arrived in Cairo, reportedly as late as this morning. Team news will be confirmed in an hour or so.
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
How to watch
15:45 , Alex Young
This game is not being broadcast in the UK, but Egyptian fans will be able to tune in on ON Sport.
Welcome
15:41 , Alex Young
Good afternoon and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the pre-Africa Cup of Nations warm-up match between Egypt and Nigeria in Cairo.
Two giants of African football are gearing up for the tournament start on Sunday, so what better preparation than taking on one of the favourites to win the whole thing.
Kick-off is at 6pm GMT. Stick with us.
