By Ben Efe 10.1.2026
Nigeria’s Super Eagles in what could be judged the best game of the Africa Cup of Nations so far, on Saturday outwitted the Algeria’s Desert Foxes with a 2-0 win to book their place in the semifinal of the tournament.
Victor Osimhen was the tormentor in chief as his gravity defying headed goal and an assist killed off the Algerians who were outplayed and outmaneuvered at the Grand Stadium of Marrakech, in Morocco.
Watching Nigerian football fans were left wondering why the Super Eagles couldn’t just conquer their demons during the World Cup qualifiers and come up with the performances they posted during the AFCON and quality for the 2026 World Cup?
The Super Eagles are playing their best football in recent times, and it wouldn’t be out of place if they lay a claim to the AFCON title if ever, they continue this way and outscore hosts Morocco in the semifinal.
Algeria were surprisingly flat as the Super Eagles dominated from the blast of referee Issa Sy’s whistle to the end, In the first half the Super Eagles had several chances to bury the Algerians, but the goals refuse to come, however they kept their patience.
In the 28th minute Ademola Lookman put Osimhen through, but just before he could get his balance and pull the trigger, Algerian defender Rayan Ait-Nouri brushed the ball off his feet.
In the 31st minute Calvin Bassey was close to breaking the deadlock when he scrambled in a cross from Lookman, but Ramy Bensebaini frantically cleared off the line, VAR determined that the entire ball did not pass the goal line.
Perhaps the clearest chance of the first half fell to Adams Akor when Alex Iwobi stole the ball from an Algeria defender and set Akor free, but rather than beat the Luca Zidane to the right and have the goal post to himself, Akor decided to curl the ball, and it sailed narrowly over the bar.
Osimhen couldn’t have chosen a better time to shut up his critics when barley two minutes into the second half he seems to hang in the air as he connected a cross from Bruno Onyemaechi and nodded the ball downwards through the groping hands of Zidane for the first goal of the match. The great Zinedine Zidane watching from the stands, could help but acknowledge that only a player like Osimhen with technique could outwit his son, who hadn’t conceded any goal in the tournament before the quarterfinal tie.
In the 57th minute Osimhen, after latching on to a delightful pass from Iwobi unselfishly laid a killer pass to Akor who dribbled pass Zidane and effortlessly tucked in the second goal. From then on, the Algerians knew it was over.
Their efforts to fight back did not yield much result and the Super Eagles where happy to run down the clock and looking forward to the semi-final clash.
Osimhen...tormenting the Algerian Desert Foxes.