Nigeria booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals with an emphatic 2–0 victory over Algeria this Saturday (10) at the Marrakech Stadium, in Morocco. Once again, Victor Osimhen was decisive, scoring one goal and providing an assist in a dominant Nigerian performance.
Osimhen decides the match in the second half
The Galatasaray striker broke the deadlock just two minutes into the second half, rising above the defense to head home a precise cross and give Nigeria a deserved lead. Confident and influential throughout the match, Osimhen later turned provider, assisting Akor Adams for the second goal in the 12th minute.
The Super Eagles never looked threatened after opening the scoring, controlling possession and tempo until the final whistle.
Nigeria superior from start to finish
Eric Chelle’s side showed greater intensity and organization from the opening minutes. In the first half alone, Nigeria forced goalkeeper Luca Zidane into several key saves and came close to scoring on multiple occasions.
Algeria narrowly escaped conceding before the break when Ramadan Bensebaini cleared a shot off the goal line. The incident was reviewed by VAR, which confirmed that the ball had not fully crossed the line.
Despite Algeria’s individual talent, Nigeria consistently dominated the attacking third and limited their opponents’ chances.
Semi-final clash against Morocco confirmed
With the win, Nigeria will face host nation Morocco in the semi-finals, setting up one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament. The remaining quarter-final spot will be decided later this Saturday, when Egypt face Ivory Coast at 7:00 pm (UK time).
Osimhen closes in on AFCON top scorer lead
Osimhen now has four goals in the competition, moving within one goal of tournament top scorer Brahim Díaz, who currently leads the charts. In addition to his goals, the Nigerian striker has also recorded two assists, underlining his all-around impact.
Semifinal 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/d7f1mUxHlv
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) January 10, 2026
Match details – Algeria vs Nigeria
Date: January 10, 2026
Competition: Africa Cup of Nations – Quarter-finals
Venue: Marrakech Stadium, Morocco
Algeria:
Luca Zidane; Belghali, Mandi, Bensebaini, Aït-Nouri; Mahrez (Moussa), Zeerouki (Bounedjah), Boudaoui (Abdelli), Chaibi; Ibrahim Maza (Boulbina), Amoura
Coach: Vladimir Petković
Nigeria:
Nwabali; Samuel (Ogbu), Ajayi, Bassey, Onyemaechi; Ndidi (Noyedika), Onyeka (Simon), Iwobi, Lookman (Dele-Bashiru); Osimhen, Akor Adams (Awaziem)
Coach: Eric Chelle
