AFCON
AFCON 2025: Nigeria Set the Pace as Tournament’s Sharpest Attacking Team
By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech
As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations reaches its decisive phase, the numbers tell a compelling story of attacking ambition, tactical boldness and ruthless finishing. From fluid counter-attacks to sustained possession-based pressure, several teams have distinguished themselves as the competition’s most dangerous forces in front of goal.
At the head of the scoring charts are Nigeria, whose free-scoring run has yielded an impressive 14 goals. This is an indication of the Super Eagles’ growing confidence and balance across the front line.
On Saturday, they had a 2-0 win over Algeria to book a place in the semifinals. Nigeria’s output reflects not just individual brilliance, but collective efficiency.
Their goals spread across matches and scorers, making them one of the most unpredictable attacking sides in the tournament.
The least they have scored in a match is two, making the Nigerian attackers, goalkeepers’ nightmare. Even, Algeria’s goalkeeper, Luca Zidane, the son of the legendary Zinedane Zidane, who had conceded the goal, just one, before the quarterfinals, had to pick the ball twice from his own net.
Close behind Nigeria in the attacking prowess are Senegal with 11 goals. Again, like the Super Eagles, the Teranga Lions are reaffirming their status as one of Africa’s most complete teams.
The former champions have combined power, pace and experience, striking with authority whenever space opens up, and reminding opponents that defensive lapses are swiftly punished.
A second tier of attacking contenders is led by Côte d’Ivoire and hosts Morocco, both on nine goals. Morocco’s goals have been crafted through structured buildup, intelligent movement and crowd-inspired urgency.
Algeria and South Africa, both already eliminated, follow closely with eight goals each, showcasing contrasting attacking identities. Algeria’s patient, technical approach has gradually worn down opponents, while South Africa’s pressing game and speed in wide areas have translated into consistent returns.
Further down the list, Tunisia (7 goals) and Cameroon (6 goals) have relied on moments of precision rather than volume, while DR Congo and Mozambique (5 goals apiece) have impressed with efficiency despite fewer chances.
At the lower end of the scoring table, teams such as Burkina Faso and Gabon (4 goals), Mali, Tanzania, Uganda (3 goals), and Angola, Benin, and Equatorial Guinea (2 goals) remain in search of greater attacking fluency, often undone by missed chances or conservative game management.
As AFCON 2025 heads toward its climax, history suggests that goals win matches — but balance wins titles.
For now, Nigeria and Senegal stand tallest among the tournament’s attacking elites, while the chasing pack will hope that sharper finishing at the business end can still redefine the narrative
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By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech.
Algeria head coach Vladimir Petković, who holds nationalities of Bosnian, Swiss, and Croatia has admitted his side were outplayed by the Super Eagles in Saturday’s quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
He also remarked that the Super Eagles’ physicality and individual quality proved decisive.
Speaking after the match, Petković congratulated Nigeria for a deserved victory, acknowledging that his team struggled to impose itself from the outset.
“I congratulate the Nigerian team, who deserved to win the match. The opponent played better than us,” the Algerian coach said. “We couldn’t get into the game properly and had to stay focused. Nigeria was better than us; we were missing a lot of things.”
Petković explained that Algeria’s plan to control possession and dictate the tempo was effectively neutralised by Nigeria’s intensity and organisation.
“We wanted to control the game, but the opponent was strong and prevented us from doing so,” he noted. “The Nigerian team showed the individual skills they possess, and physically we were behind.”
The Algerians attempted to respond after the break, but the coach admitted his side failed to raise their attacking output to the required level.
“We tried to come back in the second half, but we couldn’t reach the level we wanted in attack,” he said.
Despite the disappointment of elimination, Petković defended his players’ overall contribution at the tournament, stressing the need to quickly refocus on future objectives.
“Our players are disappointed and devastated after the match. They performed well in this tournament,” he added. “Now the competition is over, and another tournament is coming. We must keep our heads high after this exit.”
Nigeria’s victory sealed their place in the semi-finals, ending Algeria’s AFCON campaign and reinforcing the Super Eagles’ growing reputation as one of the tournament’s most physically imposing and technically assured sides.
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Egypt forward Mohamed Salah described the victory over defending champions Cote d’Ivoire as a “perfect win”, hailing his teammates after qualifying for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
Salah scored the third goal for Hossam Hassan’s side, as Egypt ended Ivory Coast’s reign with a narrow 3-2 triumph, with Liverpool’s talisman setting a new record by scoring against 11 different national teams at the AFCON.
Egypt will face Senegal on Wednesday in Tangier for a place in the final, in a repeat of the 2021 AFCON final.
“It was a perfect win, but as I said before, we are fighting for our country,” Salah told CAF’s media channel.
“Hopefully, we go through the next game as well. It’s against a tough opponent, but we will give our best. “We are fighting so hard, you can see the players, nobody is holding anything… We are just carrying on,” he added.
Salah equalled his manager Hassan’s AFCON tally, with each scoring 11 goals. He needs just one more goal to become Egypt’s all-time top scorer in the tournament alongside Hassan El-Shazly.
Salah, 33, said Egypt are not “100% the favourites” to win the title, with Nigeria, Morocco and Senegal all having players competing in European leagues.
“Most of our national team players play in the domestic league, it’s not to belittle them, but we are trying our best because we love our country,” he told beIN Sports.
“The game (against Senegal) will be difficult; they have a squad that plays at a high level in Europe, but I hope we can achieve victory.”
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech
Pedigree has prevailed as the 35th Africa Cup of Nations gets to a crescendo. A power-packed assembly of four is what remains as the competition, devoid of upsets, is set for the semi-finals this Wednesday.
Hosts Morocco prepare to face Nigeria, while Senegal will take on Egypt in an all-heavyweights last-four line-up.
Africa’s traditional powerhouses are left standing after a dramatic quarter-final weekend that delivered goals, tension and fine margins, with the four remaining nations boasting a combined 12 AFCON titles between them.
Hosts Morocco national football team will lock horns with a star-studded Nigeria national football team, while Senegal national football team faces record champions Egypt national football team in what promises to be two compelling semi-final contests.
Egypt claimed the final spot in the last four on Saturday night after edging defending champions Côte d’Ivoire 3–2 in a thrilling encounter that ended the Elephants’ reign and set up a mouthwatering clash with Senegal. The seven-time champions showed resilience and composure to prevail in one of the standout matches of the tournament so far.
Senegal had earlier booked their semi-final ticket with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Mali, Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half strike proving decisive in a tense West African derby. The Teranga Lions expertly managed the contest thereafter, controlling possession and protecting their slender advantage to reach yet another AFCON semi-final.
Hosts Morocco also remain firmly on course for a first continental crown in 50 years after a composed 2–0 win over Cameroon in Rabat. Goals from Brahim Díaz and Ismaël Saibari underlined the Atlas Lions’ attacking quality and defensive balance as they continued an impressive home campaign.
Completing the quartet are Nigeria, who delivered a commanding display to dispatch Algeria 2–0 in Marrakech. Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock after a tightly contested opening spell before Akor Adams sealed the win, confirming the Super Eagles’ return to the last four and setting up a blockbuster showdown with the hosts.
The quarter-final results underlined how pedigree and composure have begun to shape the tournament after an unpredictable group phase and fiercely contested Round of 16.
The semi-finals will be played on Wednesday, 14 January, with Senegal facing Egypt and Morocco taking on Nigeria, as the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 moves closer to its climax ahead of the final in Rabat on 18 January.
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