Nigeria booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with an emphatic victory over Mozambique in Fez on Monday night, delivering one of their most complete performances of the tournament to date, Soccernet.ng reports.
Goals from Ademola Lookman, Akor Adams and a Victor Osimhen brace ensured Eric Chelle’s side maintained their perfect record in Morocco, as the Super Eagles became the first Nigerian team to win their opening four matches at an AFCON finals.
Dominant, ruthless and brimming with confidence, Nigeria overwhelmed a Mozambique side that had shown resilience earlier in the competition but were ultimately undone by pace, movement and precision.
First-half control and ruthless execution
Nigeria thought they had taken an early lead inside four minutes when the ball found the net, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside despite the final touch coming from a Mozambican defender.
That decision did little to alter the flow of the game. The Super Eagles asserted control early, with Ademola Lookman stretching the defence from the left and Alex Iwobi dictating the tempo from midfield. Semi Ajayi came close on two occasions but failed to capitalise on Lookman’s inviting deliveries.
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Mozambique resisted until the 20th minute, when Nigeria’s pressure finally told. A perfectly weighted through-ball from Iwobi split the defence and released Akor Adams, whose unselfish square pass allowed Lookman to side-foot calmly past the goalkeeper. It was Lookman’s third goal of the tournament, taking him to five direct goal contributions.
Six minutes later, the lead was doubled. Again, Iwobi was the architect, sending Lookman clear down the left. His low cross deflected kindly into the path of Osimhen, who reacted quickest to stab home from close range.
Nigeria could have added more before the break, breaking at pace on the counter, but Adams, Lookman and Osimhen were all denied as the first half ended with the Super Eagles firmly in command.
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Nigeria: Osimhen makes history as Eagles soar
Any lingering doubt was removed three minutes after the restart. Lookman, enjoying a magnificent night, found space once more on the left and delivered a crisp pass across goal for Osimhen to finish emphatically. It was the striker’s second of the night and his 34th goal for Nigeria, leaving him just three short of Rashidi Yekini’s all-time record.
Nigeria continued to push. Bright Osayi-Samuel, Wilfred Ndidi and Osimhen all went close as Mozambique struggled to cope with the Eagles’ intensity.
The fourth goal finally arrived in the 76th minute, fittingly from another Lookman assist. His precise delivery found Akor Adams, who fired hire into the net to register his first goal at the tournament and make Nigeria the first side at AFCON 2025 to score four goals in a single match.
The victory also extended Nigeria’s scoring run at AFCON finals to 11 consecutive matches, their longest streak in the competition’s history.
What’s next?
Nigeria are now one of six teams through to the quarter-finals, alongside Morocco, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon and Egypt.
The Super Eagles will discover their next opponents on Tuesday, when Algeria face DR Congo to determine who meets Chelle’s side in the last eight.
