Nigeria booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside Mozambique 4-0 in Fes with a performance full of authority, pace and confidence.
From the opening whistle, the Super Eagles looked in no mood for drama, overpowering their opponents and underlining their status as serious contenders for the trophy.
Fast Start Sets the Tone
Nigeria wasted little time asserting control. Victor Osimhen thought he had opened the scoring inside two minutes, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside, but it was an early warning Mozambique failed to heed.
The breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute when Ademola Lookman curled a superb finish into the corner after Akor Adams pulled the ball back from the byline. Five minutes later, Nigeria struck again. Alex Iwobi surged through midfield before releasing Lookman, whose cross took a slight deflection off Adams and fell perfectly for Osimhen to turn home from close range.
Mozambique, playing their first-ever Afcon knockout match, were pinned back and struggled to cope with Nigeria’s intensity and movement.
Osimhen and Lookman Run the Show
Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished early in the second half. Lookman once again caused havoc down the left, sending in a teasing ball that Osimhen tapped in at the back post for his second goal of the night.
Nigeria continued to press, with Iwobi pulling the strings and Adams and Lookman constantly finding space. The fourth goal arrived in the 75th minute when Adams capped an impressive performance by drilling the ball home after yet more clever work from Lookman.
The Super Eagles could easily have added to the scoreline, forcing Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan into several saves before he was forced off injured late on.
Eyes Firmly on the Trophy
The victory makes Nigeria the first team to score four goals in a match at this year’s tournament and keeps their perfect Afcon record intact, alongside Algeria. It also delivered a welcome clean sheet after conceding four times in the group stage.
Eric Chelle’s side will now face either Algeria or DR Congo in Saturday’s quarter-final in Marrakech, with memories of past heartbreaks still fresh. Nigeria were runners-up at the 2023 tournament and will be keen to avoid a repeat of their shock last-16 exit in 2021 after a similarly strong start.
While questions remain following their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, performances like this suggest the Super Eagles are determined to make amends — and perhaps go all the way — on the continental stage.
