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Marrakech Showdown: Super Eagles, Fennecs clash for AFCON Semi-Final Spot
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final tie between the Super Eagles and the Fennecs of Algeria is more than a game; it is a meeting of history, pride and unfinished business. As both nations renew one of African football’s fiercest rivalries in Marrakech, past wounds, present form and future ambitions collide what promises to be a match full of drama, intensity and defining moments writes TUNDE LIADI …
When the Super Eagles of Nigeria step onto the pristine turf of the Stade de Marrakech tomorrow, they will not just be facing Algeria’s Fennecs; they will be confronting decades of shared history, unresolved grudges and a rivalry that has shaped African football for more than half a century.
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi perhaps summed it up best with a proverb that has echoed across generations of African sport: “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
Akpeyi, a bronze medallist at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt , believes tomorrow’s contest will be nothing short of brutal.
“That is what is going to happen between Nigeria and Algeria. It is going to be a tough game and the Super Eagles must be ready to fight to be victorious.”
Indeed, tomorrow’s quarter-final will be the 23rd senior-level meeting between Nigeria and Algeria since their first clash at the All-Africa Games in Lagos in 1971. It will also be their 10th meeting at the Africa Cup of Nations, a competition where both sides have repeatedly crossed paths at defining moments.
Nigeria have won only three of the previous nine AFCON meetings, while Algeria have claimed four victories, with two draws – including the infamous 1984 “Bouaké Accord”, a scoreless draw that eliminated defending champions Ghana and still stirs controversy four decades later.
Their AFCON rivalry swings between extremes. Nigeria’s glorious 1980 triumph in Lagos, sealed by goals from Segun Odegbami and Mudashiru Lawal, delivered the country’s first continental crown. Ten years later, the pendulum swung forcefully in Algeria’s favour as the Fennecs defeated Nigeria twice on home soil in 1990, including the final that handed them their maiden continental title.
More recently, the rivalry was reignited in Cairo 2019, when Riyad Mahrez’s stoppage-time free kick shattered Nigerian hearts in the semi-final. That wound remains fresh, and tomorrow offers the Super Eagles a chance at a long-awaited revenge.
Perfect records, different paths
Both teams arrive in Marrakech for this decisive AFCON 2025 quarter-finals with a somewhat identical records : four wins from four matches, yet their journeys have been stylistically different.
Nigeria have been the tournament’s most exhilarating attacking force. Twelve goals in four games, a dominant 4–0 Round-of-16 demolition of Mozambique and the most fluid attacking play seen from the Super Eagles in years have made them favourites in many quarters.
Former Super Eagles captain Segun Odegbami believes Morocco itself has played a decisive role in Nigeria’s resurgence.
“What made the difference for a group of great players that have struggled for years to find their rhythm?” Odegbami asked. “The answer is so simple it’s almost too good to be true.”
According to the 1980 AFCON hero, the immaculate Moroccan pitches have allowed the gifted Nigerian players to finally express themselves.
“The single most important, yet least acknowledged, factor is the immaculate playing surface,” Odegbami explained. “Morocco has invested in some of the best football pitches in the world, and these pitches allow every pass, every movement, to become a work of art.”
Algeria, by contrast, have built their campaign on defensive steel. They have conceded just one goal in four matches and none with Luca Zidane, the son of the legendary French International, Zinedine Zidane, in goal.
Zidane’s wall vs. Nigeria’s firepower
The looming tactical battle may revolve around Luca Zidane, the tournament’s only goalkeeper yet to concede a goal. Since switching allegiance to Algeria in September 2025, the 27-year-old has delivered three clean sheets and decisive saves, most notably in the extra-time victory over DR Congo.
But tomorrow, standing in his way is arguably the most feared attacking duo in African football: Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.
Lookman, the immediate African Footballer of the Year, has already registered three goals and four assists, while Osimhen has matched him goal-for-goal.
Yet Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez has acknowledged the danger Nigeria pose but remains calm.
“Nigeria?” he asked rhetorically.“ We know them well, the match will not be easy.
“But we stayed solid against DR Congo, and that discipline can be decisive again.”
Asked about another dramatic moment like his 2019 free kick, Mahrez smiled knowingly:
“A free kick in the last minute again? We’ll see; anything is possible,” he added.
Camp tensions and self-destruction button
Despite Nigeria’s brilliance on the pitch, clouds have hovered over their camp. Reports of unresolved bonus payments have triggered memories of the ill-fated 2026 World Cup playoff defeat to the DR Congo in November last year, where similar disputes preceded elimination.
Former midfielder Friday Ekpo, a bronze medallist at Senegal 1992 with the Super Eagles, expressed deep frustration.
“It is a pity that we always fall into this line every now and then,” Ekpo said. “Issues regarding match bonuses should have been sorted to make the players happy, eager and motivated.”
Ex-defender Sam Sodje was even more direct.
“If it is true, then something is wrong,” he warned. “We can’t be talking about bonuses at this stage. We saw what non-payment did to us during the World Cup playoff. We don’t need that again.”
Yet Sodje remains optimistic: “With their performance so far, we have a big chance of winning this AFCON. We have one of the best strike forces in the world. Whoever is in charge must do what is needed.”
Nevertheless, immediate past Super Eagles’ captain, William Troost-Ekong who was the MVP at the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, has thrown his full support behind the national team, urging them to seize a golden opportunity and bring home the AFCON 2025 trophy.
The experienced defender believes the current squad has both the quality and mentality to go all the way in Morocco, adding Nigeria head into a high-profile quarter-final clash against Algeria with momentum firmly on their side, having recorded a flawless run of four wins from four matches.
The former Watford defender officially retired from international football in December, just weeks before the competition kicked off, bringing the curtain down on a distinguished decade-long international career with Nigeria.
In an emotional statement released, Troost-Ekong reflected on his journey in the green and white colours. “December was a deeply personal and emotional month for me, as I officially stepped away from international football after 10 unforgettable years representing Nigeria,” he wrote. “To have worn the green and white for a decade, and to have captained my country, is something I will carry with pride for the rest of my life.”
Despite stepping away from active duty, the former captain made it clear his bond with the Super Eagles remains intact.
He added: “However, as one chapter closes, my support for the Super Eagles will never fade. Watching Nigeria play with hunger, personality and belief filled me with pride. The talent is there, the spirit is strong, and I have no doubt the team will continue to inspire millions back home.”
Meanwhile, Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka has sent a strong message ahead of the ‘battle of Marrakech’, insisting the team remains focused on its own objectives rather than the strength of Algeria.
“I don’t care what opponent. We are just focusing on ourselves,” Onyeka said during his post-match interview after the Super Eagles’ emphatic 4-0 defeat of Mozambique in their 16th Round encounter last Monday at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.
When pressed further, the combative midfielder doubled down on his stance. “That is it,” he added briefly, reinforcing Nigeria’s mind-set as one built on discipline, unity, and self-belief rather than fear of opposition.
Onyeka also provided a positive update on his fitness ahead of the quarter-final.
“I’m fully fit,” he confirmed, offering a boost to coach Eric Chelle as Nigeria prepare for a crucial test against the Desert Warriors in their quest for the fourth continental glory.
Indeed, this will not be a routine quarter-final as history, form and emotion converge in Marrakech but one thing certainty stands out for the two African giants.
While Nigeria seek revenge, continuity and a fourth AFCON crown, Algeria will aim to maintain a tradition that has twice seen them defeat Nigeria on their way to lifting the continental silverware.
But as Akpeyi warned, when elephants fight, the grass suffers. Tomorrow’s night in Marrakech, promises to be an unforgettable spectacle.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Super Eagles, Fennecs in history:
10 Jan 1973: Nigeria 2-2 Algeria (All-Africa Games: Lagos)
28 Jul 1978: Algeria 1-0 Nigeria (All-Africa Games: Algiers)
22 Mar 1980: Nigeria 3-0 Algeria (AFCON Final: Lagos)
10 Oct 1981: Nigeria 0-2 Algeria (FIFA WCq: Lagos)
30 Oct 1981: Algeria 2-1 Nigeria (FIFA WCq: Constantine)
10 Mar 1982: Nigeria 1-2 Algeria (AFCON: Benghazi)
11 Mar 1984: Nigeria 0-0 Algeria (AFCON: Bouake)
23 Mar 1988: Nigeria 1-1 Algeria (AFCON: Rabat)
02 Mar 1990: Algeria 5-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Algiers)
16 Mar 1990: Algeria 1-0 Nigeria (AFCON Final: Algiers)
03 Jul 1993: Nigeria 4-1 Algeria (FIFA WCq: Lagos)
08 Oct 1993: Algeria 1-1 Nigeria (FIFA WCq: Algiers)
14 Sep 1995: Nigeria 2-0 Algeria (All-Africa Games: Harare)
21 Jan 2002: Algeria 0-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Bamako)
03 Jul 2004: Nigeria 1-0 Algeria (FIFA WCq: Abuja)
04 Sep 2005: Algeria 2-5 Nigeria (FIFA WCq: Oran)
30 Jan 2010: Nigeria 1-0 Algeria (AFCON: Benguela, Angola)
12 Nov 2016: Nigeria 3-1 Algeria (FIFA WCq: Uyo)
10 Nov 2017: Algeria 1-1 Nigeria (FIFA WCq: Constantine)
14 Jul 2019: Algeria 2-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Cairo)
09 Oct 2020: Nigeria 0-1 Algeria (Friendly: St. Veit, Austria)
27 Sep 2022: Algeria 2-1 Nigeria (Friendly: Oran)
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