Morocco 2025: Super Eagles Soar As Ruthless Nigeria Crush Mozambique 4-0 To Reach AFCON Quarter-Finals
Nigeria sent a powerful warning to the rest of Africa on Monday night in Fès, delivering a breathtaking display of attacking football to sweep aside Mozambique and book a deserved place in the quarter-finals of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations.
Driven by hunger, precision and relentless tempo, the Super Eagles overwhelmed the Mambas with a performance that underlined their title credentials and reaffirmed their pedigree as three-time African champions.
Victor Osimhen thought he had set the tone barely two minutes into the contest, finishing off a Bright Osayi-Samuel cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Unfazed, Nigeria continued to press with authority, pinning Mozambique deep in their own half.
Defender Semi Ajayi came close to opening the scoring after 10 minutes, his powerful header well saved by the Mozambican goalkeeper.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 25th minute as Ademola Lookman hooked home a fine cross from Akor Adams, following a superb defence-splitting pass by Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi was at the heart of everything Nigeria did well.
Five minutes later, he released Lookman again on the left, and the winger unselfishly teed up Osimhen to fire in Nigeria’s second goal, the Napoli striker’s 33rd in 50 appearances for the Super Eagles.
Nigeria maintained their dominance, with Iwobi himself going close before the break, only to be denied by another sharp save.
The second half began just as emphatically.
This time, Osimhen’s effort counted, as he calmly finished after Lookman dazzled past Mozambican defenders to make it 3-0.
The goal moved Osimhen to 34 senior international goals, placing him just three shy of the legendary Rashidi Yekini’s all-time record.
Osayi-Samuel narrowly missed extending the lead moments later, but Nigeria were not done.
With 15 minutes remaining, Akor Adams capped an impressive performance by smashing home his first AFCON goal, and third for Nigeria, after another perfectly weighted assist from Lookman.
Further chances fell Nigeria’s way late on, with Lookman and substitute Raphael Onyedika both going close, but the damage had already been done.
The emphatic victory sets up a tantalising quarter-final clash against the winner of the Round of 16 encounter between DR Congo and Algeria.
The tie will be played on Saturday at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
For Nigeria, this was more than just a win — it was a statement of intent.
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