Saturday Jan 10, 2026. 19:43
Nigeria signalled their title intentions with a commanding 2-0 victory over Algeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals at the Marrakesh Stadium on Saturday.
Second-half goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams saw the Super Eagles reach the penultimate stage of the tournament for the third time in four editions, having lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast in the 2023 final.
Eric Chelle’s side piled on the pressure from the get-go and threatened after just two minutes when Semi Ajayi got on the end of a free-kick and directed his header over the crossbar.
Victor Osimhen should have done better six minutes later as he too headed over from close range after mis-timing his jump from a corner, while their first attempt on target came on 23 minutes from a counter-attack which saw Ademola Lookman fire straight at Luca Zidane.
The West Africans continued to create chances and Osimhen was thwarted by a brave save from Zidane just three minutes later after latching onto Lookman’s threaded pass into the box.
Ramy Bensebaini then came to the Fennecs’ rescue on 29 minutes when he hacked the ball off the line after Zidane got caught in no-man’s land after Osimhen’s free-kick was met by the head of Calvin Bassey.
Akor Adams wasted a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock in the 37th minute after he blazed over following good work from Alex Iwobi to play him in from Zidane’s clearance.
It remained goalless at the break, but Nigeria got off to a flying start in the second half as Onyemaechi stood up a fine cross to the back post, where Osimhen headed home past Zidane for his fourth goal of the tournament.
The same combination led to another chance for the Super Eagles seven minutes later, but Osimhen’s header lacked the power to beat Zidane after he made contact with Onyemaechi’s cross.
Osimhen would turn provider on 57 minutes after he raced onto Calvin Bassey’s through-ball and squared for Adams, who had the simple task of tapping home into an open net.
Adams was unable to get his header on target in the 79th minute after Onyemaechi’s cross had far too much pace on it, while Algeria finally fashioned their first attempt at goal moments later when Baghdad Bounedjah cleared the bar from distance.
The woodwork saved Zidane shortly afterwards as Adams steered his header against the left post from a cross into the six-yard box with the goalkeeper beaten.
Algeria (0) 0
Nigeria (0) 2 (Osimhen 47′, Adams 57′)