Osimhen, Salah, and the Final Audition: Why Super Eagles must dominate Egypt before AFCON 2025

The pressure is huge on coach Eric Chelle to finalise his starting XI and tactical blueprint against Africa's most decorated nation.

Beating Egypt, on their own turf, no less, would provide a massive psychological lift and silence the critics over the Super Eagles' readiness. 

For players like Stanley Nwabali, Francis Uzoho, who was the first to arrive at the camp, and the five new invitees, this is the ultimate chance to prove they are not just tourists but crucial members of a potential winning squad.

It’s the final dress rehearsal, and Nigerians need a performance that screams "we are ready" to the continent.

• Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025

• Kick-off Time: 7:00 PM WAT

• Venue: Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt

Where to Watch: Look out for official announcements on SuperSport (DStv/GOtv) and potentially NTA Sports or the official NFF social media channels for streaming links.

The No. 1 War: The biggest question mark is in goal. Will Chelle stick with the seemingly fit Stanley Nwabali or give the returning Francis Uzoho a chance to make a final statement?

Osimhen vs. Egyptian Centre-Backs: How the Galatasaray star, still to arrive at the camp at the time of writing this article, handles the physicality of Egypt's defence will be key. 

This is a battle of African elite forwards against a solid continental backline.

The Midfield Balance: We need to see what Chelle will do with his midfield given four of the newly invited players are all central midfielders. 

Or maybe he will stick with his double pivot, Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi, with focus on if they can effectively screen the defence and supply the attack, especially against the craftiness of Egypt’s midfield.

Salah’s Threat: All eyes will be on how our full-backs, likely Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey, will handle the world-class threat of Mohamed Salah. Shutting down Mo Salah is a huge confidence booster.

A win in Cairo changes the narrative. It confirms that the squad has the chemistry and competitive fire to take on the heavyweights right away, reducing the immense pressure going into the opening group game in Morocco.

A dominant display gives Coach Chelle the mental clarity to lock in his strongest team. 

More importantly, it sends a loud and clear message to our AFCON rivals: The Super Eagles are not coming to play small. The result here will define the confidence level of the team as they board the flight to Fès.