With some 22 games and five African titles between them, two of those won against each other, Nigeria and Algeria will be no strangers when the Super Eagles take on the Desert Warriors in the third quarterfinal at AFCON 2025.
A place in the semifinal of what is turning out to be one of the better Africa Cup of Nations in the competition’s 69-year history is at stake for these two giants of African football.
Just like in the past, there will be some great and talented names to look forward to, and if previous encounters are anything to go by, drama, not a little controversy, goals and some magic should be expected.
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But, juicy as all that sounds, that is not all we should be keeping our eye on. Here are a few more.
Nigeria’s almost-pristine record
If there is one team that knows how to negotiate the quarterfinals of AFCON, it has to be Nigeria, who have made advancing from this particular knockout stage something close to second nature.
Since the 1992 tournament in Senegal when the competition first featured 12 teams, from the eight of previous years, the Super Eagles have been the most successful side at this stage of the competition.
In that time, they have made 11 quarterfinal appearances, tied with Tunisia, Ghana and Ivory Coast, but no other team have won more games in the last 8 than the Super Eagles.
They have advanced 10 of those times, starting with a win against Congo DR (known at the time as Zaire). How poetic it would have been if the DRC had won their round of 16 game to set up a poetic full circle moment.
Teams they have bested are Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Zambia and South Africa.
Nigeria’s only quarterfinal elimination in over three decades came against hosts Ghana at the 2008 tournament, and in fairness, it was a game the Black Stars had no business losing.
Algeria, by contrast have made just six quarterfinal appearances since 1992, and progressed twice. Their challenge ahead on Saturday is whether they can become only the second team to deny Nigeria progress from the quarterfinal.
Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi has handled the team’s various setbacks, and volatile characters, with maturity and calm at AFCON. Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Has the bonus row sabotaged Nigeria?
Tuesday night’s decision by the players to issue an ultimatum to the NFF to pay them their win bonuses or face a boycott, would not have come as a surprise to anyone.
The question whenever Nigeria get to these tournaments is more when than if a payment scuffle will occur. And the deeper they got, the more likely the probability of these issues bursting through.
While there have been occasions where these protests have affected their preparation, in this instance, it did not appear that the bonus incidents significantly disrupted the team preparations, at least not in any way that is immediately obvious from the outside.
Despite their threats, the team did not miss practice, and departed on schedule from Fes to Marrakech where they also practiced on schedule on Thursday.
It is doubtful if they would have missed any internal team preparations, like film sessions or tactical planning, either. Usually, the threat, especially when made so publicly, proves greater than the execution.
Having had their way, however, and seen their payment processed, the lads will have shifted the pressure and put themselves in the firing line to deliver.
Failure will lead to recriminations and possible accusations of greedy mercenaries focused on money rather than defence of the flag and colours.
What this means is that their margin for error has been shaved down considerably, to the point where they can almost not countenance advancement.
Nigeria defender Calvin Bassey will need to be on best behaviour to avoid a second yellow card and be ruled out of the AFCON semifinals. Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP via Getty Images
Bassey on yellow card tightrope
Defender Calvin Bassey, arguably the leader of that back four since the departure of William Troost-Ekong not so long ago, and without a doubt the team’s best defender, picked up an unnecessary yellow card with almost the last kick of the game against Mozambique.
The defender now has to be play with some care against Algeria to avoid picking up a second yellow card that would see him suspended for the semifinal, if the Super Eagles make it.
That possibility is not a long shot, as Nigeria rank among the teams with the highest number of fouls committed at this tournament. Against Algeria, who are on the other end of those numbers, there is a every possibility of a caution, especially with the famed gamesmanship of the Fennecs.
Fulham’s Bassey will not have that on his mind once he crosses that white line, but there will be millions of Nigerians for whom it will be squeaky bum time until the final whistle.
An unwanted spotlight on Osimhen
Something to watch out for will be what reception the fans give star striker Victor Osimhen, both at the start and end of the game.
The Galatasaray forward’s antics in the round of 16 game against Mozambique, where he not only had a massive go at Bruno Onyemaechi for failing to pass the ball when he had wide open options, but also Ademola Lookman for daring to stand up for the defender, have put him under the microscope.
Osimhen made his case worse when he demanded to be substituted following that incident, and for the first time in his international career, saw himself booed off the field by fans.
As if that was not enough, millions in the country were further aggravated when news emerged that while in the dressing room, the forward had reportedly threatened to fly back to Turkey and end his AFCON participation.
The NFF’s only comment on the incident was a statement by Director of Communications Ademola Olajire that all was well in the Eagles nest.
Even without the NFF or team reprimand, Osimhen will find himself under scrutiny by Nigerians from kickoff to the final whistle, or as long as he lasts on the pitch. If he scores, it would be interesting to see how he celebrates.
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Ndidi addresses Osimhen and Lookman spat
Nigeria captain Wilfred Ndidi discusses Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman’s on-field disagreement after their 4-0 win over Mozambique.
Record waiting to be broken
Eric Chelle’s tenure as Nigeria coach has been marked by national records either being equalled or bettered, and as he goes into Saturday’s game, there will be a few more under threat.
Chelle’s team, with their 12 goals up to the round of 16, are level with the 2000 squad for the total number of goals scored at an AFCON. On the run that they have been so far, it is hard to fathom that they will not break it.
Osimhen is three goals shy of the Nigeria all-time scoring record held by the late legend Rashidi Yekini. It is not altogether impossible that he could plunder a hattrick and tie the record, although three goals in an AFCON quarterfinal is something of a rarity.
From a historical perspective, the winner of the encounter will take on the winner of the second semi-final, between Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions and Morocco’s Atlas Lions, taking place on Friday in Rabat.
Incidentally, the last time Morocco hosted the AFCON, which was in 1988, the semi-final lineups were exactly the same as this particular bracket in this year’s quarters.
Cameroon went head to head with Morocco in the first semi-final while Nigeria and Algeria clashed in the second semi-final. The quartet are now repeating history at the quarter-final stage.
Nigeria edged Algeria in an epic marathon penalty shootout after regulation and extra time ended 1-1, while Cameroon squeaked their way past hosts Morocco to set up a Nigeria-Cameroon Final. The Indomitable Lions won that controversial Final 1-0.
Will history repeat itself, at least in the quarters?
