Tanzania head coach Miguel Gamondi believes his side can finally make history by recording their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations victory when they take on Nigeria at AFCON 2025 in Morocco on Tuesday.
The Taifa Stars have yet to taste victory at the continental tournament, having appeared in three previous editions 1980, 2019 and 2023 without a win. Their Group C opener against the Super Eagles at the Complexe Sportif de Fès will be Tanzania’s 10th AFCON match and another chance to end that long wait.
Tuesday’s encounter will also be only the second AFCON meeting between both nations, coming 45 years after their first clash. Back in 1980, on home soil, Nigeria opened their campaign with a 3–1 win over Tanzania.
The teams last faced each other during the qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON. Tanzania held Nigeria to a goalless draw in Dar es Salaam before the Super Eagles edged the return leg 1–0 in Uyo in September 2016.
Despite acknowledging Nigeria’s pedigree and status as favourites, Gamondi insists his players have no intention of rolling over.
“It’s our dream, and nobody can stop us from believing,” the Argentine coach said during his pre-match press conference. “If you don’t have a dream, there’s no reason to sleep too much. I respect Nigeria a lot, but in football, anything is possible. We are here to put up a good performance.”
Tanzania will face Uganda on Friday before wrapping up their Group C fixtures against Tunisia next Tuesday.
The Taifa Stars first appeared at AFCON in 1980 in Nigeria, where they lost all three group matches to Nigeria, Egypt and Ivory Coast. They returned in 2019 under former Super Eagles winger Emmanuel Amuneke after a 39-year absence, but again exited without a win following defeats to Senegal, Kenya and Algeria.
At the 2023 tournament in Ivory Coast, however, Tanzania showed encouraging signs of progress. After losing their opener to hosts Morocco, they held Zambia and DR Congo to draws results that have strengthened belief within the camp as they prepare for another shot at history in Morocco.
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