The Super Eagles are set to face the Fennecs of Algeria national football team on Saturday, January 10 in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinal clash that will test both their tactical discipline and internal cohesion.
This comes after Nigeria booked their place with a commanding 4–0 victory over Mozambique in Fez, Morocco, a performance watched by fans across Africa on DStv’s SuperSport. While the win against Mozambique confirmed Nigeria’s attacking quality, attention has now shifted to execution and temperament against a more structured opponent.
Taking from the learnings in the Mozambique match, Nigeria seem to have the upper hand in attacking depth and individual quality, but the performance also exposed areas that could be punished at a higher level.
The Super Eagles were largely in control as Ademola Lookman opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Victor Osimhen doubled the advantage. Nigeria carried a comfortable lead into halftime through sustained pressure and efficient movement before Osimhen added his second early in the second half, assisted by Lookman, and Akor Adams completed the rout. That attacking fluency highlights Nigeria’s strength, but it also raises questions about defensive positioning and transitions when possession is lost.
Algeria presents a significantly tougher tactical challenge than Mozambique. The North African side are known for their compact defensive structure, strong midfield organisation, and ability to control games through patient build-up play.
Algeria are comfortable sitting in a disciplined shape and striking through quick combinations and experienced attackers, a style that could expose Nigeria if concentration drops.
For the Super Eagles, breaking down a well-drilled defence while maintaining balance at the back will be crucial to avoid being caught in transition.
There is also a power tussle internally, one that has now moved beyond tactics and into questions of leadership and control.
What started on the pitch has quickly spilled into the national conversation, with questions of temperament, leadership and ego now dominating the discourse. The exchange between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman after a missed opportunity has sparked widespread debate, with many Nigerians describing Osimhen’s reaction as arrogant and unpatriotic.
Although Lookman, in his post-match comments, referred to Osimhen as “my brother” and played down the incident as a moment in the heat of competition rather than a deeper rift, the episode has left lingering questions.
Fans are now wondering how the tension might affect the Super Eagles’ chemistry going forward and whether there will be any consequences for Osimhen’s actions and conduct, both on and off the pitch.
While Nigeria’s performance reinforces their credentials as serious contenders, AFCON’s unpredictable nature ensures no opponent can be overlooked. With fans set to follow the journey live on DStv via SuperSport, the quarterfinals will provide a clearer measure of how far this Super Eagles side can go.