Chidozie Awaziem has urged the Super Eagles to focus on the positives from their 2–1 defeat to Egypt after Nigeria lost in friendlies on Tuesday night at the Cairo International Stadium.
The Super Eagles were beaten by the Pharaohs in an international friendly, with Mahmoud Saber and Mostafa Mohamed scoring for the hosts. Awaziem provided Nigeria’s only goal, rising highest to head home shortly before halftime in a competitive encounter between two African heavyweights.
Despite the loss, the FC Nantes defender described the match as a valuable exercise for the team as they continue preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Awaziem noted that playing against a strong opponent like Egypt offered the Super Eagles an important opportunity to assess their readiness.
“It was a good test for us,” Awaziem told the Super Eagles media team. “Egypt is not an easy team to play against, especially on their home ground. They have many quality players, and the aim of this friendly was to test ourselves ahead of the AFCON.”
The defender explained that the game allowed head coach Eric Chelle to experiment with his squad, giving chances to new players while also trying out different tactical ideas.
“The purpose of the match was for the coach to see different players, test new combinations, and work on our structure,” Awaziem said. “It was also important for the newly invited players to show what they can bring to the team.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s overall performance, Awaziem admitted the result was disappointing but felt the Super Eagles showed encouraging signs during the game.
“Of course, the result was not what we wanted, but there were many positives,” he added. “We dominated large parts of the match, pinned them back, and created several scoring chances. That shows we are on the right path.”
Awaziem stressed that the focus must now shift fully to preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations, urging the team to build on the lessons learned from the friendly.
“We just need to take the positives from this game and move forward,” he concluded. “The AFCON is the main target, and this match has helped us understand what we need to improve going into the tournament.”
