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Nigeria booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a commanding 4–0 victory over Mozambique in their Round of 16 clash played on Monday night at the Complexe Sportif de Fès, Morocco.
The Super Eagles were ruthless from start to finish, delivering one of their most complete performances of the tournament as goals from Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen (two), and Akinlolu Amoo Adams sealed a comprehensive win.
Nigeria wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Victor Osimhen finding the back of the net inside the opening two minutes, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
The early warning proved decisive, as the Super Eagles continued to pile pressure on the Mozambican defence.
The breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute when Ademola Lookman calmly finished off a well-worked move after a clever assist from Adams.
Five minutes later, Osimhen made amends for his earlier disallowed goal, powering home Nigeria’s second after another intelligent pass from Adams, sending the Nigerian supporters into celebration.
Mozambique struggled to cope with Nigeria’s pace and intensity, and their frustrations showed as Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka were both booked before halftime, although the Super Eagles remained firmly in control heading into the break with a 2–0 advantage.
Nigeria picked up where they left off in the second half, and just two minutes after the restart, Osimhen struck again. The Napoli forward latched onto a precise pass from Lookman before rifling the ball into the net to make it 3–0 and effectively end the contest.
Mozambique attempted to respond with a flurry of substitutions, but Nigeria’s defensive structure and midfield control limited their chances. The Super Eagles dominated possession and created wave after wave of attacking opportunities, finishing the match with 22 total shots compared to Mozambique’s two.
The fourth goal arrived in the 75th minute when Adams got his deserved reward. The forward finished clinically after being set up by Lookman, capping a brilliant individual display that included two assists and constant pressure on the opposition backline.
Nigeria continued to manage the game professionally in the closing stages, with several substitutions allowing key players to rest ahead of the quarter-finals. Calvin Bassey picked up a late yellow card, but it did little to dampen the celebrations as the final whistle confirmed a resounding victory.
Statistically, Nigeria’s dominance was clear, registering an expected goals (xG) of 2.79 compared to Mozambique’s 0.10 and enjoying 62 percent possession.
With Osimhen and Lookman in devastating form, the Super Eagles now march confidently into the last eight, sending a strong message to the rest of the competition as their AFCON title ambitions gather momentum.
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