Nigeria took another confident step toward ending their long wait for an Africa Cup of Nations crown as the Super Eagles swept aside Mozambique 4-0 in the Round of 16 at AFCON 2025. It was a performance full of authority, maturity and attacking clarity that underlined why the 2023 runners-up remain one of the most feared teams on the continent.
From the opening whistle at the Complexe Sportif de Fes, supervised by Cameroonian referee Abdou Mefire, Nigeria imposed their rhythm on the contest. Mozambique kicked off with belief after their historic group stage run, but that confidence was gradually drained by a Nigerian side brimming with purpose and quality.
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Victor Osimhen thought he had opened the scoring inside two minutes after reacting quickest to a teasing delivery from Bright Osayi-Samuel. Celebrations were briefly cut short as VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside in the buildup. It was an early reminder that the Super Eagles would need patience as well as precision.
Nigeria did not lose focus. Alex Iwobi dictated play from midfield, while Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams stretched Mozambique’s back line with intelligent movement. Ernan Siluane was called into action several times in the early exchanges, producing a fine save to deny Iwobi from the edge of the box.
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The breakthrough finally arrived in the 20th minute, and it was worth the wait. Akor Adams slipped a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Ademola Lookman, who glided past his marker and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top right corner. It was a goal that reflected Nigeria’s growing dominance and Lookman’s confidence on the big stage.
Five minutes later the pressure tolled again. Osimhen rose to meet a cross, and although the finish was not his cleanest, the ball squirmed past the goalkeeper to double Nigeria’s advantage. By that point the Super Eagles had total control, with possession tilted firmly in their favour and Mozambique struggling to cope with the tempo.
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Despite moments of resistance and a few hopeful forays forward from Faisal Bangal, Nigeria’s defence remained composed. Stanley Nwabali was largely untroubled as the Super Eagles went into halftime with a deserved two-goal cushion.
Any hopes of a Mozambique comeback were extinguished almost immediately after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half, Lookman turned provider, sliding a simple ball across goal for Osimhen, who tapped it into an empty net to make it three. The Napoli striker’s brace was a reward for his relentless movement and leadership up front.
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Nigeria continued to create chances at will. Osayi Samuel went close from a distance, while Akor Adams forced another excellent save from Siluane. The statistics told a clear story as Nigeria racked up wave after wave of attacks.
The fourth goal arrived in the 75th minute, and again, Lookman was at the heart of it. His clever layoff found Akor Adams in space, and the forward made no mistake, blasting the ball into the roof of the net from close range. It capped a dominant team display and underlined Nigeria’s attacking depth.
Eric Chelle used the closing stages to rotate his squad, bringing on Moses Simon, Paul Onuachu, Fisayo Dele Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika as Nigeria comfortably saw out the contest. Moses Simon nearly added a fifth late on, but Siluane produced another fine save to prevent further damage.
At the final whistle Nigeria had recorded their joint biggest AFCON victory, equalling the famous 4-0 win over South Africa in 2004. More importantly, they had sent a clear message to the rest of the tournament. The Super Eagles are not just contenders; they are serious title hunters.
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The win ends Mozambique’s inspiring journey at AFCON 2025, but they leave with heads held high after a historic campaign. For Nigeria, attention now turns to a mouthwatering quarter-final clash against either Algeria or DR Congo as the dream of lifting the trophy for the first time since 2013 gathers momentum.
Image Credit: Super Eagles Media Hub
