The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is fast approaching, and Nigeria’s top players are finding form at the right time, something Uganda and the rest of Group C should pay attention to.
On Tuesday night in the English Premier League, Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi delivered outstanding performances, causing serious problems for reigning champions Manchester City, particularly for Chukwueze.
City went into halftime with a comfortable 3–1 lead and extended it to 5–1 early in the second half. But what looked like a routine win quickly turned into a nervous ending for the champions.
Iwobi started the pushback with a well-placed low shot from the edge of the box to make it 5–2. It seemed like a consolation, but it was the spark Fulham needed.
Moments later, Chukwueze scored his first goal for Fulham with a clean volley to make it 5–3, suddenly giving his team hope. From that moment, belief grew among the Fulham players and the pressure on City began to rise.
Fulham kept pushing and were rewarded again when Chukwueze scored his second of the night, bringing the score to 5–4.
Craven Cottage came alive as Fulham chased an equaliser that narrowly escaped them. City survived, but not without a scare.
This performance served as a clear reminder to Nigeria’s AFCON opponents, Uganda, Tanzania, and Tunisia, that these are players who can change a game instantly.
Chukwueze has now been involved in four goals in his last three Premier League matches, scoring twice against City and providing assists against Tottenham and Sunderland.
Playing mainly on the right wing, he will present a serious test for Uganda’s left-back Aziz Kayondo, though such challenges have helped Kayondo improve over time.
Nigeria face Uganda in the final match of the group stage, and the importance of the fixture will depend on what each side needs at that point.
AFCON kicks off in Morocco on December 21st. Nigeria will open against Tanzania, while Uganda take on Tunisia on December 23rd.
