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Nigeria delivered a commanding performance to defeat Algeria 2–0 at the Marrakesh Stadium, securing a place in the semifinals where they will face hosts Morocco.
Victor Osimhen opened the scoring early in the second half, rising highest to head home Bruno Onyemaechi’s cross in the 47th minute. The striker then turned provider ten minutes later, setting up Akor Adams, who rounded goalkeeper Luca Zidane before calmly finishing to double Nigeria’s advantage.
The Super Eagles dominated the contest from start to finish and were fully deserving of their victory. They registered 12 shots to Algeria’s two and recorded five efforts on target, while the Desert Foxes failed to test goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali throughout the match.
Nigeria had threatened in the first half, with Calvin Bassey seeing an effort cleared off the line and Akor Adams missing a clear opportunity just before halftime. Despite sustained pressure, the opening period ended goalless, with Algeria unable to muster a single shot on target.
After the interval, Eric Chelle’s side raised the tempo and quickly took control. Osimhen’s aerial strength proved decisive, and Nigeria continued to overwhelm their opponents with pace and intensity. Alex Iwobi’s incisive pass in the 57th minute released Osimhen, who unselfishly squared the ball for Adams to score Nigeria’s second.
Frustration boiled over late in the game as some Algerian players clashed with their Nigerian counterparts, bringing an unfortunate end to an otherwise competitive and well-fought encounter.
The only concern for Nigeria was the injury to captain Wilfred Ndidi, who was forced off with a hamstring problem and received a booking, ruling him out of the semifinal.
Nigeria, winners of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, will now face Morocco in Rabat next Wednesday as they continue their bid to reach another final, having finished runners-up to Côte d’Ivoire in 2024.
