Morocco 2025:  History favours Eagles against Lions in Rabat

The only time Nigeria and Morocco senior national teams have clashed in Morocco’s administrative capital, Rabat, Nigeria dug their feet into the ground to earn a scoreless draw, win the ensuing penalty shootout and secure qualification to the 14^th  Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire.

Date was Saturday, 28^th  August 1983. Two weeks earlier, in Benin City, both teams had ended the first leg match 0-0. The return leg took place in Rabat, with Coach Adegboye Onigbinde making a number of changes to the squad that featured in Benin City.

Goalkeeper Peter Rufai came in for Wilfred Agbonavbare, and Kingsley Paul, Amos Edoseghe, Anthony Edward, Wole Odegbami and Sunday Daniel came in for Charles Osuji, Henry Nwosu, Rafiu Yusuf, Dehinde Akinlotan and Tarila Okorowanta.

Coach José ‘Mehdi’ Faria, the Brazilian minder of the Atlas Lions, stuck to his regular group, including goalkeeper Badou Ezzaki, Mustapha El Haddaoui, Abdelaziz Bouderbala, Mohamed Timoumi, Abdelmajid Lamriss, Mustapha El Biyaz, Noureddine Bouyahyaoui and Khaled Labied. A closely-fought battle ended 0-0, necessitating a penalty shootout.

Nigeria won 4-3 to qualify for the AFCON finals in Cote d’Ivoire, where she emerged runner-up.

As the Super Eagles file out to the turf of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium tomorrow , they will remember they had never lost a match to the Lions in Rabat.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Super Eagles, Atlas Lions in history

16 Nov 1963: Nigeria 3-0 Morocco (Olympic Gamesq: Lagos)

08 Mar 1964: Morocco 4-1 Nigeria (Olympic Gamesq: Casablanca)

26 Mar 1964: Morocco 2-1 Nigeria (Olympic Gamesq: Dakar)

21 Sep 1969: Morocco 2-1 Nigeria (FIFA WCq: Casablanca)

08 Nov 1969: Nigeria 2-0 Morocco (FIFA WCq: Ibadan)

20 Feb 1972: Nigeria 3-0 Morocco (Friendly: Lagos)

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06 Mar 1976: Morocco 3-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Dire Dawa)

11 Mar 1976: Morocco 2-1 Nigeria (AFCON: Addis Ababa)

03 Apr 1976: Nigeria 3-1 Morocco (Olympic Gamesq: Lagos)

18 Apr 1976: Morocco 1-0 Nigeria (Olympic Gamesq: Tangier)

19 Mar 1980: Nigeria 1-0 Morocco (AFCON semi: Lagos)

14 Aug 1983: Nigeria 0-0 Morocco (AFCONq: Benin City)

28 Aug 1983: Morocco 0-0 Nigeria (AFCONq: Rabat)

* Nigeria win 4-3 after penalties

11 Feb 1984: Nigeria 0-0 Morocco (Olympic Gamesq: Lagos)

26 Feb 1984: Morocco 0-0 Nigeria (Olympic Gamesq: Casablanca)

*Morocco win 4-3 after penalties

12 Dec 1996: Morocco 2-0 Nigeria (Friendly: Casablanca)

03 Feb 2000: Nigeria 2-0 Morocco (AFCON: Lagos)

27 Jan 2004: Morocco 1-0 Nigeria (AFCON: Monastir)

25 Jan 2014: Morocco 3-4 Nigeria (CHAN: Cape Town)

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04 Feb 2018: Morocco 4-0 Nigeria (CHAN Final: Casablanca)