By Kunle Solaja
- *Tunisia triggers Nigeria’s first Expulsion and Disqualification
- *From Walkouts to Knockouts
- *A Rivalry Forged in Controversy
Nigeria and Tunisia will renew one of African football’s oldest and most combustible rivalries on Saturday when they clash in Fez in their second Group C match of the Africa Cup of Nations.
With both teams winning their opening fixtures, the stakes are unmistakable: victory will secure a Round of 16 ticket ahead of the final group games scheduled for 29 December. For two traditional heavyweights, it is another chapter in a rivalry that stretches back more than six decades and has rarely lacked drama.
The two nations, long regarded as the top seeds in Group C, first crossed paths in 1961 and have since met across virtually every major stage of African football — from World Cup and AFCON qualifiers to group matches, knockout rounds, quarter-finals and even losers’ finals. Few continental rivalries can match the breadth, intensity and historical weight of Nigeria versus Tunisia.
Certain dates have acquired symbolic resonance. January 23, in particular, remains etched in the collective memory of both camps. On that date in 2000, Nigeria overwhelmed Tunisia 4–2 in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria.
Twenty-two years later, Tunisia exacted revenge on the same day, eliminating Nigeria 1–0 in Garoua during the 2021 AFCON, which was eventually played in 2022.
Beyond goals and results, the rivalry has been shaped by controversy. Remarkably, both teams have staged walkouts against each other in competitive fixtures — incidents that remain among the most extraordinary in AFCON history.
Nigeria’s first walkout came during an Africa Cup qualifier against Tunisia on 10 December 1961 in Tunis.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) subsequently awarded the match to Tunisia. Years later, Tunisia responded in kind during the third-place match at the 1978 AFCON, walking out after Baba Otu Mohammed scored an equaliser for Nigeria to make it 1–1. CAF awarded that match to Nigeria.
The rivalry also occupies a unique place in Nigerian football history for less flattering reasons. Sports Village Square recalls that Nigeria’s first-ever player expulsion in an international match occurred against Tunisia. It was also in Tunisia that Nigeria suffered its first disqualification from a major competition.
These events trace back to the early 1960s, when both nations were making their first forays into continental football. During the qualifiers for the 1962 Africa Cup of Nations — the maiden AFCON entry for both teams — Nigeria defeated Ghana and advanced to face Tunisia for a place in the finals.
Nigeria won the first leg 2–1 in Lagos. In the return match in Tunis on 10 December 1961, the Green Eagles led 2–1 again after goals from Chukwumah Egwuonu and Patrick Noquapor. However, the match descended into chaos.
Before halftime, Egyptian referee Mohammed Hassan Helim sent off Nigerian full-back Alfred Achebe, who thus became the first Nigerian player expelled in an international match. In the 65th minute, Tunisia scored a controversial equaliser.
Nigerian players protested vehemently, alleging that Ridha Roubi had handled the ball in the penalty area before the referee ordered a drop ball that Chetali converted to make it 2–2, still leaving Nigeria ahead 4–3 on aggregate.
At the prompting of team officials, the Nigerian players staged a walkout, despite the objections of their Hungarian coach, George Varda. CAF later awarded the match 2–0 to Tunisia.
Nigeria’s football authorities, then operating as the NFA, protested with CAF, hoping for a reversal. Instead, the protest deepened the fallout.
When the matter was discussed at a CAF executive meeting in Ethiopia on 13 January 1962, it was referred to an extraordinary general assembly held three days later.
CAF took exception to the tone of the Nigerian letter, noting that some of its wording — including references to “segregation” — was unacceptable under international football regulations.
More than 60 years later, the scars of history remain, even as generations of players change. When Nigeria and Tunisia step onto the pitch in Fez on Saturday, they will not just be chasing qualification. They will be revisiting a rivalry forged in controversy, pride, revenge and unforgettable moments — one that continues to define African football’s rich and often turbulent past.
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