The Super Eagles of Nigeria soared into the semi-finals of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations with a commanding 2-0 victory over arch-rivals Algeria on Saturday, January 10th, in Marrakesh. The win, masterminded by star striker Victor Osimhen, sets up a tantalizing last-four clash against tournament hosts Morocco.
Dominant Eagles Break Algerian Resistance
Nigeria controlled the first half at the stadium nestled against the Atlas Mountains but could not find a way past Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane. The best chance fell to Calvin Bassey, whose effort was dramatically hooked off the line by defender Ramy Bensebaini. Akor Adams also missed a clear opportunity, blazing over when clean through.
The deadlock was broken almost immediately after the restart. Within two minutes of the second half, Victor Osimhen rose to power a header home from a deep Bruno Onyemaechi cross, sending the Nigerian contingent in the crowd of 32,452 into raptures.
Osimhen Turns Provider to Seal the Deal
The Napoli forward, who ended a seven-match AFCON scoring drought earlier in the tournament, was not done. Just before the hour mark, Osimhen turned provider. Released behind the Algerian defense, he unselfishly squared the ball for Akor Adams, who calmly rounded Zidane to slot home and double Nigeria's lead.
This goal made Nigeria the tournament's top scorers with 14 goals in total. Osimhen's assist capped a man-of-the-match performance, extending his personal tally to four goals in his last four matches. Adams later hit the post as Nigeria sought a third, while Algeria, with a formidable attack featuring Riyad Mahrez, failed to muster a serious response.
Road to Rabat and a Hostile Await
The victory exorcised some demons for Nigeria, who were beaten by Algeria en route to the 2019 title and are still smarting from their failure to qualify for the upcoming World Cup. Now, they dream of a fourth continental crown.
The atmosphere in Marrakesh was overwhelmingly pro-Algerian, but the semi-final in Rabat on Wednesday is expected to be far more hostile as the Super Eagles face the host nation. Tensions briefly flared at full-time between the teams, but Nigeria's focus is now firmly on Morocco. For Algeria, despite a promising campaign that included a last-16 win over DR Congo, their quest for a first title since 2019 is over.
