Nigeria’s Super Eagles delivered a composed and authoritative performance on Saturday night, defeating Algeria 2–0 to book a place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
The victory, secured through second-half goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams, underlined Nigeria’s growing confidence in the tournament and ended Algeria’s impressive defensive run, having conceded just one goal before the quarter-final encounter.
After a first half that ended goalless despite Nigeria’s clear dominance, the Super Eagles returned from the break with renewed intensity. Their persistence paid off in the 47th minute when Osimhen rose highest to meet a precise cross from Bruno Onyemaechi, powering a header beyond goalkeeper Luca Zidane to open the scoring.
The breakthrough unsettled the Desert Foxes, who struggled to cope with Nigeria’s pace and movement. Ten minutes later, the Super Eagles doubled their advantage following a well-worked team move. Alex Iwobi unlocked the Algerian defence with a clever outside-of-the-boot pass, Osimhen squared unselfishly across goal, and Akor Adams calmly rounded Zidane before finishing into an empty net.
Algeria found it difficult to respond as Nigeria maintained control of possession and dictated the rhythm of the game. The North Africans failed to register a single shot on target, despite introducing attacking options in the second half in an attempt to change the flow of the contest.
Nigeria had threatened long before the goals arrived, dominating the first half with sustained pressure and multiple chances. Algerian defender Ramy Bensebaini was forced into several goal-line clearances to keep his side level before the interval.
Iwobi was influential in midfield, linking play and setting the tempo, while the defensive pairing led by Calvin Bassey stood firm to neutralise Algeria’s attacking threats. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali had a relatively quiet evening as the Super Eagles maintained their defensive discipline.
Wilfred Ndidi received a yellow card that could raise concerns ahead of the semi-final, but Nigeria managed the closing stages effectively with timely substitutions, including the introduction of Moses Simon, to see out the contest comfortably.
The win sends Nigeria into a high-profile semi-final clash against tournament hosts Morocco, a fixture that promises intensity and quality. With their attack clicking and defensive structure holding strong, the Super Eagles will head into the last four with belief as they continue their push for a fourth continental title.
