By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech

Two of Africa’s most storied football nations will lock horns when Nigeria face Algeria in a blockbuster quarter-final of the Africa Cup of Nations. The battle is underlined by rich history, rivalry and high stakes.

Set against the Moroccan backdrop, the clash brings together contrasting narratives: Nigeria’s steady, game-by-game rise at the tournament and Algeria’s determination to reclaim continental supremacy after past glory.

Nigeria arrived at the last-eight stage with growing confidence and a sense of quiet authority. The Super Eagles have evolved as the tournament has progressed, combining tactical discipline with increasing attacking fluency.

At the heart of that improvement has been the influence of Ademola Lookman, whose pace, movement and finishing have lit up Nigeria’s forward play, and Victor Osimhen, the relentless spearhead whose presence alone unsettles opposing defences.

Defensively, Nigeria have shown resilience and organisation, limiting chances and growing more compact with each outing.

The balance between control and directness has given the Super Eagles a sense of purpose — a team that looks increasingly comfortable with the demands of knockout football.

For Algeria, this quarter-final represents both opportunity and obligation. The Desert Foxes, champions in 2019, carry the weight of expectation that accompanies pedigree. Their journey through the tournament has been measured rather than spectacular, but experience often proves decisive at this stage.

Algeria’s strength lies in their technical quality and tactical intelligence, marshalled by leaders such as Riyad Mahrez, whose creativity and calm in decisive moments remain invaluable. When Algeria click, they are capable of controlling games through possession, tempo and precision — qualities that can frustrate and eventually unpick even the most disciplined opponents.

A Rivalry Renewed

Meetings between Nigeria and Algeria rarely disappoint. Past encounters at AFCON and World Cup level have produced drama, fine margins and memorable moments, reinforcing the sense that this is a fixture befitting a final rather than a quarter-final.

This time, the stakes are unmistakable. Victory will propel one side into the semi-finals and within touching distance of continental glory. Defeat will invite searching questions and the abrupt end of ambition.

Expect a tactical duel shaped by moments of individual brilliance. Nigeria may look to impose intensity and vertical play, pressing high and attacking with speed, while Algeria are likely to seek control through possession and calculated build-up.

Set-pieces, discipline and decision-making in critical moments could prove decisive. In a match where quality abounds on both sides, patience may be as important as passion.

As the floodlights come on and the tension rises, one certainty stands out: when Nigeria and Algeria meet at AFCON, history is never far away — and another chapter is about to be written

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By Kunle Solaja.

Cameroon’s long-standing reputation as the nemesis of Africa Cup of Nations host nations came to an emphatic end on Friday night as Morocco’s national football team powered into the semi-finals with a commanding 2–0 victory over Cameroon’s national football team in Rabat.

Since 1984, Cameroon had beaten every AFCON host they encountered — with Egypt in 1986 the lone exception — earning a fearsome tag as the tournament’s ultimate party-poopers.

That aura dissolved inside a raucous, sold-out Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where the Atlas Lions delivered a performance rich in authority, intensity and belief.

Goals in either half from Brahim Díaz and Ismail Saibari sealed a landmark triumph for the hosts, who had come into the quarter-final under scrutiny following an unconvincing Round of 16 win over Tanzania.

Driven on by a deafening home crowd, Morocco seized control from the opening whistle, pressing high and monopolising possession as Cameroon were pinned deep in their own half. The pressure told in the 26th minute when Díaz struck for the fifth time in the tournament, deftly guiding the ball into the net with his thigh after Ayoub El Kaabi flicked on a corner delivered by captain Achraf Hakimi.

It was Morocco’s sixth corner inside the opening 25 minutes and underlined their relentless start. The goal also carried historic significance, as Díaz became just the second player in AFCON history — after Osei Kofi — to score in five consecutive matches at the finals.

Buoyed by the breakthrough, the Atlas Lions continued to dictate the tempo and came close to doubling their advantage before the interval when Abde Ezzalzouli released El Kaabi on a swift counter-attack, only for the striker to find the side netting from close range.

Cameroon returned after the break with greater urgency, but their renewed attacking intent was blunted by a disciplined and well-organised Moroccan defence. Their best chance fell from a set-piece, when Georges-Kevin N’Koudou met a corner with a diving header that drifted wide.

With 15 minutes remaining, Morocco struck the decisive blow. From an Ezzalzouli free-kick, Nayef Aguerd’s clever touch found Saibari unmarked at the back post, and the midfielder calmly swept a low finish into the bottom corner to send the stadium into raptures.

At 2–0, and with belief coursing through the stands, Morocco were firmly in control. Cameroon could find no response as their hopes faded, while the hosts closed out a famous night in Rabat with composure — and a victory that not only propelled them into the semi-finals but finally ended a long-standing AFCON hoodoo against the Indomitable Lions.

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By Kunle Solaja, Casablanca enroute Marrakech

Few fixtures in African football carry the weight of history quite like Algeria versus Nigeria. From Africa Cup of Nations finals and World Cup qualifying deciders to record-breaking runs, controversial encounters and career-defining moments, meetings between the Super Eagles and the Desert Foxes have repeatedly shaped the continent’s football narrative.

As they prepare to clash again on Saturday, these key facts and flashbacks highlight why this rivalry remains one of Africa’s most compelling.

Sports Village Square presents a tale of Nigeria vs Algeria: Rivalry Facts and Flashbacks

• This match will be Nigeria’s 109th Africa Cup of Nations game and the ninth AFCON semi-final appearance for the Super Eagles in the tournament’s 69-year history.

• Algeria are playing their 84th AFCON match, with a record of 32 wins, 24 draws and 25 defeats.
• Nigeria won their first AFCON title by defeating Algeria 3–0 in the final on 22 March 1980 in Lagos.

• Algeria won their first AFCON title by beating Nigeria 1–0 in the final on 16 March 1990 in Algiers.

• Algeria were the last hurdle Nigeria crossed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, drawing 1–1 in Algiers on 8 October 1993—making Nigeria the first Anglophone African country to reach the World Cup.

• Nigeria were also the last opponent Algeria faced to qualify for their first World Cup (Spain ’82), with Algeria winning 2–0 in Lagos (10 October 1981) and 2–1 in Constantine (30 October 1981).

• Nigeria’s 34-match unbeaten run in World Cup qualifiers, the longest in Africa, was technically ended by Algeria in November 2017 after FIFA overturned a 1–1 draw to a 3–0 Algeria win due to an ineligible Nigerian player. Otherwise, the run would have reached 35 matches. At the time, Nigeria had not lost a World Cup qualifier since 20 June 2004 (1–0 loss to Angola in Luanda). The run was second only to Spain’s 59-match global record and longer than Germany’s pre-2014 World Cup streak.

• Nigeria and Algeria were the last two African teams standing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

• Both exited the Round of 16 on the same day: Nigeria lost 2–0 to France, while Algeria fell 2–1 (after extra time) to Germany. Had both won, Africa would have produced its first-ever World Cup quarter-final clash between two African teams.

• The Nigeria–Algeria clash in Uyo on 12 November 2016 marked Nigeria’s 100th World Cup qualifying match.

• Nigerian defender Bright Omokaro earned the nickname “Ten-Ten” after an infamous tackle on an Algerian player at Morocco ’88, evening the teams numerically after a Nigerian red card. Commentator Ernest Okonkwo’s cry—“Omokaro has made it ten-ten!”—immortalised the name.

• Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha scored the first of his 16 international goals for Nigeria from a free kick against Algeria on 13 July 1993, in a 4–1 World Cup qualifying win in Lagos.

• Okocha’s elder brother, Emma Okocha, made his international debut against Algeria on 2 March 1990 and scored his only Nigeria goal against Algeria at the 1990 AFCON opener in Algiers (Nigeria lost 5–1).

• Nigerian greats Segun Odegbami, Christian Chukwu, and Thompson Usiyen all played their final international matches against Algeria during the 1981 World Cup qualifying series.

• Algeria legend Rabah Madjer began his coaching career with a World Cup qualifier against Nigeria in 2017.

• Algeria were victims of the infamous 1982 “Gijón Disgrace” at the World Cup. Two years later, Nigeria and Algeria were fined by CAF for unsporting conduct after a controversial 0–0 “accord match” at AFCON 1984 in Bouaké.

• Both Nigeria and Algeria share green as their dominant national colour.

• The names Nigeria and Algeria differ only in their first two letters, adding to one of Africa’s most enduring football rivalries.

• Algeria once beat Nigeria silly, 5-1 in Algiers, Algeria. Nigeria also once beat Algeria silly 5-2 in Oran, Algeria.

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