A ruthless Nigerian side reaffirmed its status as tournament favourites on Monday, dispatching Mozambique 4-0 at the Complexe Sportif de Fès. The dominant Round of 16 victory secures Nigeria’s place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinals and cements their status as the tournament’s most prolific attacking force.
Ademola Lookman opened the scoring in the 20th minute, followed by a clinical brace from Victor Osimhen. Forward Akor Adams, who provided two assists earlier in the match, capped the performance with a fourth goal in the 75th minute. The result marks the largest winning margin of the tournament so far and ensures Nigeria maintains a perfect record of four wins from four matches in Morocco.
The Super Eagles took control of the tempo from the opening whistle, briefly celebrating an early Victor Osimhen strike in the second minute before it was chalked off by VAR for offside. The reprieve for Mozambique was short-lived, as Lookman eventually broke the deadlock by firing home a low cross from Adams. Just five minutes later, Osimhen doubled the advantage, punctuating a period of relentless Nigerian pressure that left the Mozambican defence reeling.
For Mozambique, the defeat concludes a historic campaign. The "Mambas" were making their first-ever appearance in the AFCON knockout stages after a dramatic journey through the group phase. Despite the heavy scoreline, the Southern African side earned respect for their resilience, though they ultimately lacked the firepower to breach a Nigerian defence led by Calvin Bassey, which secured its first clean sheet of the tournament.
Lookman’s "virtuoso performance", which included a goal and two assists, earned him Player of the Match honours. The Atalanta winger has now recorded three goals and four assists in just three appearances in this tournament, providing the creative spark behind Nigeria's record-breaking tally of 12 goals in four games.
Nigeria manager Eric Chelle utilised the final fifteen minutes to rotate his squad, introducing Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze to maintain the team's intensity. The tactical discipline shown by the three-time champions stood in stark contrast to their more open defensive displays during the group stages.
The Super Eagles now turn their attention to the quarterfinals in Marrakesh, scheduled for Saturday, January 10. They are set to face the winner of the Tuesday clash between Algeria and DR Congo.
