Nigeria secured a commanding place in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 after cruising to a convincing 4–0 victory over Mozambique in the round of 16, barely needing to shift out of second gear.
The Super Eagles will now await the winner of Tuesday’s clash between Algeria and DR Congo as they continue their pursuit of continental glory.
Nigeria’s intentions were evident from the outset. Victor Osimhen appeared to open the scoring inside two minutes, but VAR intervened to rule out the effort for offside. The early scare only sharpened Nigeria’s focus, as they maintained control and pressed with authority.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Ademola Lookman calmly slotted home to give Nigeria a deserved lead. Just five minutes later, Osimhen found redemption, doubling the advantage with a composed finish from inside the area. By half-time, Nigeria’s two-goal cushion fully reflected their dominance.
The Super Eagles showed no mercy after the break. Within two minutes of the restart, Lookman turned provider, teeing up Osimhen to complete his brace and effectively put the contest beyond reach.
Mozambique struggled to find rhythm, with influential winger Geny Catamo well contained by a disciplined Nigerian backline expertly marshalled by Calvin Bassey.
Nigeria added the final flourish in the 70th minute when Akor Adams struck the fourth goal, capping an impressive individual performance that also included two assists. It sealed Nigeria’s fourth consecutive win of the tournament and underlined their status as one of the competition’s standout sides.
While Mozambique’s fairytale run came to an end, Nigeria march confidently into the last eight, growing in belief and momentum with each passing performance.
