There are nights in football when a team does more than win, it reveals clarity, belief, and direction. Under the lights of the Grand Stade de Marrakech, Nigeria delivered a commanding display, defeating Algeria 2–0 to secure a place in the semifinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Coming into the quarterfinal, the Super Eagles carried the weight of recent disappointment after missing out on World Cup qualification. Yet in Marrakech, that narrative faded quickly. From the opening moments, Nigeria played with sharpness and intent, moving the ball decisively, winning duels across the pitch, and refusing to allow Algeria settle into any rhythm.
Nigeria’s dominance in the first half went unrewarded on the scoreboard but not unnoticed. Akor Adams came closest to breaking the deadlock when he curled a well-taken effort just over the bar eight minutes before the interval, a moment that hinted at what was to come rather than dampening Nigeria’s momentum.
The breakthrough arrived almost immediately after the restart. Just 85 seconds into the second half, Victor Osimhen rose to meet a deep cross from Bruno Onyemaechi, directing his header back across goal. Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane misread the flight of the ball, and Nigeria capitalised without hesitation as Osimhen registered his fourth goal of the tournament.
Ten minutes later, Nigeria extended their lead with a move that captured the team’s cohesion and confidence. Osimhen, already on the scoresheet, turned provider, slipping an intelligent pass into the path of Akor Adams. The Sevilla forward showed composure, rounding Zidane before calmly placing the ball into an unguarded net.
From there, Nigeria tightened their grip on the contest. Algeria searched for a response but found none, repeatedly denied by a disciplined Nigerian back line that allowed no clear scoring opportunities. Adams nearly added a third late on, his header from another Osimhen delivery striking the left-hand post, but the miss did little to alter the balance of the game.
This was a performance defined by organisation, intensity, and collective purpose. Nigeria looked quicker in transition, stronger in the challenges, and united in their defensive work, overwhelming an Algerian side that never found a foothold in the match.
The victory sends Nigeria into the final four, where they will face host nation Morocco in Rabat on January 14. With momentum building and confidence restored, the Super Eagles move one step closer to continental glory, carrying belief, balance, and renewed ambition into the decisive stages of the tournament.
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