Nigeria’s march at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations rolled on relentlessly on Monday night, though a brief flash of lightning threatened to steal the headlines from an otherwise polished performance in Fez.
The Super Eagles brushed Mozambique aside 4-0 in their Round of 16 showdown, sealing a fourth straight victory in Morocco and cruising into the quarter-finals with swagger to spare.
Still, amid the goals and applause, a moment of friction flickered. Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman were involved in a heated exchange late in the game, prompting Paris FC winger Moses Simon to step forward with words of calm and clarity.
With the tie already wrapped up, Osimhen cut an agitated figure after a promising second-half move fizzled out. The former Napoli hitman felt Lookman should have squared the ball, a pass that might have completed his hat-trick. Tempers flared briefly, words were traded, and skipper Wilfred Ndidi had to play peacemaker before the situation boiled over.
Head coach Eric Chelle later admitted he was displeased with the incident and suggested Osimhen could face internal consequences, though he was quick to stress that any disciplinary steps would be handled behind closed doors.
Simon, however, chose unity over noise, leaping to the defence of the Galatasaray striker and urging everyone to keep their eyes on the prize.
“I think I didn’t see anything, which some people said he did something bad,” Simon told newsmen after the game. “But we are all a team and there is nothing to talk about.
“He is a guy, we know, he is always a fighter in the team. Of course, he will still fight for us. We need him and the team needs him and I believe he also needs us. We just need to keep going.”
Eagles flying high in Morocco
Any talk of discord barely dented what was another statement performance from Nigeria, who continue to look like a team gathering unstoppable momentum.
Lookman set the ball rolling in the 20th minute with his third goal of the tournament, firing the starting gun for a one-sided affair. Akor Adams then pulled the strings in midfield, delivering a masterclass with a goal and two assists to his name.
Osimhen would still have his say, netting twice after more incisive work from Lookman, as Mozambique struggled to cope with the speed, movement and sharp edge of Nigeria’s attack.
For the Mozambicans, enjoying their first-ever AFCON knockout appearance, it was a harsh lesson against a side playing with ruthless efficiency.
The emphatic win leaves Chelle’s men just two victories away from the final, maintaining a spotless record in Morocco: four games, four wins, and belief swelling with every outing.
Nigeria will now lock horns with either Algeria or DR Congo in the quarter-finals, with both paths laden with subplots. A clash with DR Congo offers a shot at revenge after the Leopards dumped Nigeria out on penalties in a World Cup qualifying play-off last November. Algeria, on the other hand, would pose the sternest tactical test yet.
Vladimir Petkovic’s Desert Warriors also swept through the group stage unblemished, conceding just once. Their arsenal includes Riyad Mahrez, already three goals deep in two appearances, alongside Rayan Ait-Nouri, Ismael Bennacer and goalkeeper Luca Zidane.
For now, though, Nigeria’s focus remains clear: keep winning, keep fighting, and let football do the talking.
