Nigeria’s Super Eagles continued their impressive run at the Africa Cup of Nations with a commanding 4–0 victory over Mozambique in their Round of 16 encounter in Fès, booking a place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 tournament and underlining their status as one of the title favourites. The emphatic win not only extended Nigeria’s momentum from the group stage but also showcased the depth, balance, and attacking firepower of a squad that has steadily grown in confidence since the competition began.
The victory built on a flawless group-stage campaign in which Nigeria won all three matches to top Group C, a run that reinforced belief among players and fans alike that the Super Eagles are capable of challenging for a fourth continental crown. Against Mozambique, who were appearing in the knockout stage for the first time after qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams, Nigeria wasted little time asserting dominance, pressing high up the pitch and dictating the tempo from the opening whistle.
Mozambique struggled to cope with Nigeria’s intensity, particularly the pace of their wide attackers and the physical presence of their forward line. From the early minutes, the Super Eagles pinned their opponents deep, recycling possession confidently and forcing errors through coordinated pressing, while Mozambique found it difficult to string passes together or relieve pressure on their back line.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute following a well-worked move that highlighted Nigeria’s attacking cohesion. Ademola Lookman timed his run perfectly before receiving the ball in space and calmly finishing after being set up by Akor Adams, giving Nigeria a deserved lead and igniting celebrations among the large contingent of Nigerian supporters in the stands.
Just five minutes later, the advantage was doubled as Victor Osimhen made his presence felt. The Napoli striker capitalised on sustained pressure, latching onto a loose ball in the box and finishing clinically to make it 2–0, a goal that further deflated Mozambique and underlined Nigeria’s ruthless efficiency in front of goal.
Nigeria picked up where they left off after the interval, and within two minutes of the restart, the game was effectively put beyond reach. Lookman once again turned provider, threading a pass into Osimhen’s path, and the striker made no mistake with a composed finish in the 47th minute to score his second of the night and Nigeria’s third.
With the match firmly under control, Nigeria continued to dominate possession and territory, using the midfield trio of captain Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, and Alex Iwobi to stifle Mozambique’s attempts to play through the centre. Ndidi anchored the midfield with authority, Onyeka provided energy and pressing, while Iwobi dictated play with intelligent distribution, ensuring Mozambique remained largely confined to their own half.
The defensive unit was equally assured, with Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, and Bruno Onyemaechi forming a disciplined back four that allowed goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali a relatively quiet evening. Mozambique failed to register a single shot on target for much of the match, a testament to Nigeria’s compact shape and concentration at the back.
The Super Eagles completed the rout in the 75th minute when Akor Adams, who had earlier provided an assist, got his reward with a goal of his own, finishing confidently to make it 4–0. By that point, Nigeria had recorded eight shots on target, while Mozambique were yet to seriously test Nwabali, highlighting the gulf in quality between the two sides on the night.
Head coach Éric Chelle used the opportunity to rotate his squad in the second half, introducing Paul Onuachu and Samuel Chukwueze for Adams and Lookman, while Tom Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika replaced Onyeka and Ndidi to refresh the midfield. Moses Simon also came on for Osimhen as Nigeria managed the closing stages with composure and control.
Despite the dominant performance, the match was not without controversy, as Victor Osimhen was involved in a heated on-field outburst directed at Lookman in the 63rd minute. Television footage showed Osimhen angrily confronting his teammate after Lookman opted to take a chance himself rather than pass, even though Lookman had already created two clear opportunities for Osimhen earlier in the game, including a direct assist.
Osimhen was seen pulling away from captain Wilfred Ndidi before pointing at Lookman and shouting his displeasure, later saying in Nigerian Pidgin, “No try am again,” which translates to “Do not try that again.” The striker subsequently asked to be substituted and was booed by sections of the crowd as he left the pitch, with the incident quickly becoming a talking point among fans and analysts.
The outburst sparked widespread criticism on social media, particularly on X, where fans questioned Osimhen’s attitude despite Nigeria’s comfortable lead. Social media influencer Emma Ik Umeh (@emmaikumeh) wrote, “Victor Osimhen had a quarrel with his teammate Lookman. Crazy, but this same Lookman provided him with an assist for his second goal earlier. The guy should f**k off with this nonsense attitude. It’s so annoying.” Godwin Wilson described the behaviour as “Very silly behaviour as usual. Nonsense.”
Other fans echoed similar sentiments, with Oladapo Omolade saying, “I really don’t understand why the guy is behaving like that… he really needs to calm down on that unnecessary attitude,” while Victor Adeboje simply called it “Very irritating.” Edwin Uka added, “Can you imagine the attitude he displayed there? Mtcheeeew.” Another user, ID (@oluwatunmilara1), questioned the timing of the reaction, writing, “What’s the meaning of this one? The team is winning and playing well. Why do you want to spoil it with this temper tantrum?” Bigrated (@the_boy_rated) suggested pride was at play, stating, “The guy too proud, he thinks he’s better than everyone in the team.”
With the emphatic win, Nigeria advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winners of the tie between Algeria and DR Congo, maintaining their momentum as they chase a fourth AFCON title. While the performance on the pitch reinforced Nigeria’s credentials as serious contenders, the Osimhen-Lookman incident has raised questions about discipline and unity, issues the coaching staff will be keen to address as the tournament progresses and the margin for error narrows in the quest for continental glory.