Former Super Eagles left-back Juwon Oshaniwa has described Nigeria’s 2–1 friendly defeat to Egypt as a timely wake-up call, insisting the result should push the team to address its weaknesses ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Speaking after the match, Oshaniwa said the loss should not be dismissed as just another friendly, but rather seen as an important warning ahead of the tournament.
“This defeat should wake the team up. It’s better to lose now and fix the problems than to win and start believing you are already strong,” Oshaniwa said.
The former defender explained that friendly matches often reveal flaws that competitive games can expose even more harshly if left unaddressed.
“A loss like this forces you to look at your frailties. If you ignore them, AFCON will punish you,” he added.
Oshaniwa warned that winning warm-up games can sometimes lead teams to underrate opponents, something he believes Nigeria must avoid at all costs.
“If they had won, they might feel comfortable and underrate teams. This result keeps them alert,” he noted.
He also urged the players to draw motivation from Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, saying that disappointment should fuel their AFCON preparations.
“Missing the World Cup should still be in their minds. That pain should drive them to prepare better,” Oshaniwa said.
The former international stressed that AFCON is one of the toughest tournaments in world football, where small mistakes can decide matches.
“AFCON is unforgiving. You must be focused from the first minute to the last,” he explained.
Oshaniwa further called on the technical crew to use the Egypt match as a learning tool rather than a setback.
“Now the coaches know what areas to work on. That’s the purpose of these games,” he added.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to stay patient and supportive, reminding fans that friendly results rarely tell the full story.
“The important thing is how the team responds. If they improve from this, Nigeria will be stronger at AFCON,” Oshaniwa said.
