Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams provided the goals as a dominant Nigeria dismantled Algeria to set up a blockbuster AFCON semi-final clash against hosts Morocco.
Nigeria secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Algeria to advance to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, where they will face host nation Morocco.
Despite a frustrating first half featuring a goal-line clearance by Ramy Bensebaini and a missed chance by Akor Adams, the Super Eagles dominated proceedings.
Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock in the 47th minute with a powerful trademark header, silencing critics following a recent on-pitch dispute with teammate Ademola Lookman.
The Super Eagles doubled their lead ten minutes later when Alex Iwobi, dubbed “The Quarterback” for his vision, orchestrated a brilliant team goal.
Iwobi’s line-breaking pass found Osimhen, who unselfishly squared the ball for Adams to round the goalkeeper.
Nigeria’s 4-4-2 diamond formation effectively neutralized Algeria’s stubborn defense, which had conceded only once prior to the match.
However, Nigeria will face Morocco without Wilfred Ndidi, who is suspended for the semi-final.
For Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, the defeat marked a heartbreaking end to his continental career. The 34-year-old, who previously confirmed, “This will be my last AFCON,” was substituted shortly after Nigeria’s second goal.
While Mahrez bows out as an icon with 111 appearances, Nigeria enters the final four as the tournament’s highest-scoring team. The Super Eagles now aim to go one step further than their silver-medal finish in the previous edition.