Nigeria’s hunt for a fourth African title gathered pace in Fès as the Super Eagles dismantled Mozambique 4-0 to secure their place in the AFCON 2025 quarter-finals.
Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen were the architects of a dominant performance, ensuring the three-time champions maintained their 100% record in the tournament.
Clinical Eagles take flight
Fresh from a perfect group stage, Nigeria showed no signs of slowing down against a Mozambique side making their debut in the knockout rounds. The Mambas, who qualified as one of the best third-placed teams, found themselves overwhelmed by the Super Eagles’ superior pace and clinical finishing.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Ademola Lookman slotted home following neat work from Akor Adams. Five minutes later, the contest was effectively over as Victor Osimhen doubled the lead, punishing a lapse in the Mozambican defense.
The duo combined again just two minutes after the restart, with Lookman turning provider for Osimhen to grab his second of the night. Akor Adams then capped a fine individual display by adding a fourth 15 minutes from time.
Total Dominance
The statistics told the story of a one-sided encounter in Morocco:
- Shots on target: Nigeria 8, Mozambique 0
- Clean Sheets: Stanley Nwabali enjoyed a quiet return to the starting XI.
- Midfield Control: Wilfred Ndidi marshalled the center alongside Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka.
Manager Chelle utilized his bench in the closing stages, handing minutes to Samuel Chukwueze, Paul Onuachu, and Tom Dele-Bashiru to keep legs fresh for the challenges ahead.
What’s next?
Nigeria now move into the last eight with significant momentum. They will face the winner of the clash between Algeria and DR Congo for a place in the semi-finals.
On this evidence, the Super Eagles will take some stopping as they look to add to their trophy cabinet for the first time since 2013.
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