Tanzania head coach Miguel Gamondi has all but acknowledged the scale of the challenge awaiting his side, admitting they must go beyond their limits to stand a chance against Nigeria.

The Taifa Stars will face the Super Eagles in their opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Fès on Tuesday, with pressure firmly on the East Africans to avoid another early disappointment.

Nigeria parades some of the finest footballing talent on the continent, making them a daunting opening opponent.
Éric Chelle’s side is also widely tipped as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, adding to Tanzania’s uphill task.

The Tanzanian squad, making their fourth AFCON appearance in Morocco, has never progressed beyond the group stage, a statistic that underlines their status as clear underdogs.

Gamondi admitted it would take near-perfection to contain Nigeria’s firepower.

“We need to be realistic. When you see the qualities in the Nigerian team, you need to put in more than 100 percent effort to try to neutralize them. Our mentality is to try to play and attack as well, but we need to be tactically disciplined,” Gamondi told a press conference in Fès on Monday.

The match kicks off at 6:30 pm Nigerian time.