Algeria 0-2 Nigeria Highlights, AFCON 2025 Quarter-Final: Osimhen Powers Super Eagles Into Semis

Good evening and welcome, everyone. The last-eight stage of the Africa Cup of Nations continues, with Algeria set to take on Nigeria in en enticing match-up at Marrakech. Watch this space for the build-up and live updates.

• Fixture: Algeria vs Nigeria, Quarter-final 3

• Series: Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, Morocco

• Venue: Grand Stadium of Marrakech (Marrakesh Stadium)

• Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026

• Time: 9:30 PM IST

• Live Streaming: FanCode

Algeria:

• Round 1: Algeria 3-0 Sudan

• Round 2: Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso

• Round 3: Equatorial Guinea 1-3 Algeria

• Round of 16: Algeria 1-0 DR Congo

Nigeria:

• Round 1: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania

• Round 2: Nigeria 3-2 Tunisia

• Round 3: Uganda 1-3 Nigeria

• Round of 16: Nigeria 4-0 Mozambique

Starting XI: Luca Zidane; Rafik Belghali, Aissa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Ait-Nouri; Riyad Mahrez (c), Ramiz Zerrouki, Hicham Boudaoui, Fares Chaibi; Ibrahim Meza, Mohamed Amoura.

Bench: Oussama Benbot (gk), Anthony Mandrea (gk), Youcef Atal, Zineddine Belaid, Adil Boulbina, Mehdi Dorval, Adem Zorgane, Himad Abdelli, Ilan Kebbal, Anis Hadj Moussa, Redouane Berkane, Baghdad Bounedjah, Monsef Bakrar.

Starting XI: Stanley Nwabali; Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Frank Onyeka, Wilfred Ndidi (c), Alex Iwobi; Ademola Lookman; Akor Adams, Victor Osimhen.

Bench: Francis Uzoho (gk), Amas Obasogie (gk), Zaidu Sanusi, Igoh Ogbu, Chidozie Awaziem, Usman Mohammed, Tochukwu Nnadi, Chidera Ejuke, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Raphael Onyedika, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Paul Onuachu, Samuel Chukwueze, Salim Fago Lawal, Moses Simon.

Referee Issa Sy blows his whistle, and Nigeria get the match underway. It looks to be a fiery clash as the referee blows his whistle for a free kick inside 30 seconds as Zerrouki jumps over Osimhen's head. A heated start to one of the biggest matches in African football!

A brilliant start from Nigeria, who are using their physical prowess to overload the Algerian box. Osimhen had an early effort, but saw his close-range header fly over the bar. Onyeka then attempted to play a lofted pass fromm Onyemaechi towards the Galatasaray striker, but Osimhen could not sort his feet out, and Algerian defence somehow clears the danger.

As Nigeria look to counter through Lookman after an Algerian wave of attack, Zerrouki comes sliding in and goes through the legs of his opponent. The referee immediately blows his whistle and brandishes the first yellow card of the game to the Algerian number six.

A dangerous move from Nigeria, with Lookman being teed up at the left edge of the box. The Atalanta man cuts inside onto his right foot and then has a powerful low shot, but Luca Zidane does well to get down quickly and hold on to the ball.

A massive chance for Nigeria as Osimhen is played through by a brilliant through ball from Lookman. However, Ait-Nouri comes sliding in, getting the ball perfectly off the striker's feet to set up an Algerian counter at the other end. The Super Eagles keep on their attacking pursuit, and Amoura commits a needless foul on Osayi-Samuel, earning the Algerian player a booking.

Did that go in?! The free-kick is floated towards the far corner, where Bassey attempts to poke it underneath the goalkeeper. The scuffed shot was goal-bound, but Bensebaini came sliding in to clear the ball on the line. After a long, nervy wait, VAR confirms that the entirety of the ball did not go past the line, and the referee points towards the corner flag.

How on earth did Adams miss that?! Brilliant work from Iwobi to toe-poke the ball away from an Algerian defender, with the ball perfectly falling onto Adams' path. The Nigerian forward, with only the goalkeeper in front of him, opted for the chip, but it went wide over the crossbar. The player can't believe it, and neither can his teammates.

With the regulation 45 minutes coming to an end, the fourth official holds up his board to indicate a minimum of three minutes to be added on. Can Nigeria convert their dominance of the ball into a goal right before the break?

It has been feisty on the pitch, with Nigeria dominating most of the first half. But, a combination of terrific defensive work and horrible finishing means that we go into the break yet to see the first goal of the match.

The referee blows his whistle and gets the second half underway. No changes at half-time from either side as far as I can see. Zinedine Algeria have a lot to improve from their first-half performance, with Zinedine Zidane on the stands cheering on his son's side.

Cometh the moment, cometh the man! Nigeria need less than two minutes to take the lead. A brilliant lobbed cross from the left flank by Onyemaechi finds Osimhen. The striker hangs in the air and expertly heads the ball downwards through the legs of Zidane and into the back of the net.

Akor Adams doubles Nigeria's lead! 10 minutes after putting the Super Eagles ahead, Osimhen sets it up nicely for Adams, who zooms ahead before finding the back of the net. Algeria have their backs firmly against the wall now.

In the last quarter-final of the tournament, Egypt take on Ivory Coast at Stade Adrar. Ivory Coast will enter the match to defend their continental crown while Egypt, who haven't won the title since 2010 will be determined to reclaim their glorious past and clinch the trophy for the eighth time.

After six minutes of added time that stretched to almost nine, the referee blows the final whistle. Nigeria emerge 2-0 victors, thanks to star striker Osimhen's goal and assist, to march into the semis. As for Algeria, this is the fifth quarter-final exit in their last seven AFCON knockout appearances.