AFCON 2025: How Nigeria’s best team in 22 years crashed out

Since 1994 when Nigeria paraded the best crop of players that shook both the continent and the world at the AFCON and U.S 1994 World Cup respectively, the 2025 AFCON show-cased Nigeria’s best impressive performance of the national team and rekindled the nostalgic feelings of Tunisia 1994. It was a competition the Super Eagles shown like a thousand stars with the likes of Sunday Oliseh, Jay-Jay Austin Okocha, Rashid Yekini, Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amuneke amongst that generation of players that Nigeria to its highest level in football.

Nigeria easily won the competition with finesse, only facing a stout challenge from Cote d’ Ivoire in the semi finals winning by 3-2, each time coming from behind, before crushing Zambia 2-0 in the final. For the first time since then, the Super Eagles were a delight to watch, especially in the quarter finals, when they simply out-classed Algeria by 2-0 without a single shot by the North Africans.

Before this competition, Super Eagles’ matches were an endurance test for most Nigerians, with some suffering cardiac arrests, such as Dr. Cairo Ojiebor in the 2024 AFCON in Cote d’ Ivoire, where they were runners up.

However, the semi finals against host country, Morocco, was a kind of an anti climax, as the fine possession and controlled play by the Eagles suffered terribly as their opponents neutralized their game strategy by deploying mass attack and mass defense to disarm their confidence, attacking potency, and space dominance. In the end, it was a drawn out battle that produced little tension and anxiety as the two team battled each other to a stand still.

But most Nigerians were not really disappointed by the outcome given the performance of the team so far in the competition as the highest scoring team with 14 goals in five matches. The team was a remarkable improvement on previous teams and could have grabbed a world cup ticket easily had their preparations been more effective and smooth. Sadly this team will not be at the Mundial in U.S, Canada and Mexico in June to further consolidate on the gains of this championship.

Thr atmosphere was tense with anticipation as the players emerged from the tunnel to an almighty roar, which greeted them as the crowd erupted to the appearance of the host, enough to unnerve the most steel nerves at the 69,000 capacity Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat. Based on their performances so far at this tournament, this felt more worthy of being the final than whatever match-up coming up on Sunday.

‎Nigeria suffered a particular handicap with the Captain, Wilfred Ndidi, benched for injury sustained in the quarter finals against Algeria, putting the responsibility on Victor Osimhen, which perhaps, adversely affected his output on the day. But the game revealed another sensational player in Calvin Bassey, who single-handedly scuttled every Moroccan attack and firmly kept the Eagles in the game.

Victor Osimhen, who has had a solid outing before this game and a good case for one of the outstanding performers in the tournament, struggled to shine as the opponents constantly sandwiched him with two to three players anytime he had the ball, thus incapacitating his ability to move, as ball supplies were promptly cut off.

Admittedly, he’s only really significantly played at one AFCON before, but he scored the goals that took Nigeria all the way to the final, but age is not in his favor as he may effectively play just one more AFCON since the world cup is out. Also, Ademola Lookman, who had been the engine room of the attack, scoring three goals and assisting in three other goals, the Moroccans were merciless on him and always swamped on him whenever he had the ball, further defanging the attack.

‎Morocco led the attacking statistics with 16 shots to Nigeria’s two, but goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Yassine Bounou kept the match scoreless. Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman struggled to make an impact.

‎Captain Achraf Hakimi was outstanding for Morocco at right-back, mirrored by Noussair Mazraoui on the left, as both full-backs provided attacking thrust and defensive discipline to neutralise Nigeria’s attacking threats.

‎Morocco threatened early, with Adam Masina missing from close range and Ibrahim Díaz firing wide, before Achraf Hakimi struck the roof of the net from a free kick and Stanley Nwabali denied Ismael Saibari. Nigeria reached half-time goalless for only the second time in the tournament.

‎Nigeria improved after the break, but Raphael Onyedika’s shot drifted wide, while Abde Ezzalzouli tested Nwabali at the other end. Extra time followed, with Nayef Aguerd hitting the post and Hamza Igamane going close, as Nigeria struggled to create clear chances.

‎The match was decided on penalties. Nwabali saved Igamane’s effort, but Samuel Chukwueze missed, allowing Morocco to regain control. Hakimi converted before Yassine Bounou denied Bruno Onyemaechi, and Youssef En-Nesyri sealed the win.

‎For Nigeria, the loss was a bitter conclusion to an otherwise encouraging campaign that restored belief in the Super Eagles’ long-term project under Éric Chelle. For Morocco, it sustained hopes of lifting the AFCON trophy at home for the first time since 1976. The hosts will face Senegal in the final on Sunday, January18, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place match.