Nigeria sweep aside Mozambique, Egypt survive Benin thriller to reach AFCON Quarter-finals

Nigeria and Egypt underlined their pedigree at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 as both giants booked their places in the quarter-finals on Monday, though by very different routes.

While the Super Eagles cruised past Mozambique with a dominant display, the Pharaohs were pushed to their limits before edging past a brave Benin side after extra time.

Nigeria produced one of their most complete performances of the tournament, sweeping aside Mozambique 4–0 in a one-sided round-of-16 encounter.

From the opening whistle, the Super Eagles imposed themselves with pace, power and precision, never allowing their opponents to settle.

Victor Osimhen set the tone early, finding the net in just the second minute, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.

It was an early warning Mozambique failed to heed. Nigeria continued to press relentlessly, dominating possession and territory with confidence and control.

The breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute when Ademola Lookman capped a flowing move with a calm finish to open the scoring.

Five minutes later, Osimhen made amends for his earlier disallowed goal, doubling Nigeria’s advantage with a composed strike after finding space inside the penalty area.

By half-time, Nigeria’s two-goal lead accurately reflected their dominance in every department.

Any hopes of a Mozambique revival were extinguished almost immediately after the restart.

Just two minutes into the second half, Lookman turned provider, slipping a precise pass to Osimhen, who clinically completed his brace to make it 3–0.

The goal effectively ended the contest, allowing Nigeria to manage the game without ever needing to hit top gear.

Mozambique struggled to gain any foothold, with their attacking threats neutralised by a disciplined Nigerian defence superbly marshalled by Calvin Bassey.

Geny Catamo, one of Mozambique’s standout performers earlier in the tournament, was kept quiet as the Super Eagles remained compact and organised.

Nigeria added further gloss to the scoreline in the 70th minute when Akor Adams struck the fourth goal, capping an excellent all-round display that also saw him register two assists.

The emphatic win marked Nigeria’s fourth consecutive victory at the tournament and reinforced their status as one of the standout teams heading into the latter stages.

They will learn their quarter-final opponents on Tuesday, with Algeria and DR Congo set to battle for the right to face them.

While Nigeria enjoyed a comfortable passage into the last eight, Egypt were forced to dig deep to overcome a resilient Benin side, eventually prevailing 3–1 after extra time at the Grand Stade d’Agadir.

The Pharaohs, seven-time champions, were made to work hard by a fearless Benin team that showed no respect for reputations.

Well organised defensively and dangerous on the counter-attack, the Cheetahs caused Egypt real problems in the first half.

Aloko, Olaitan and Jodel Dossou provided energy and directness, while goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou produced several crucial saves to frustrate Egypt’s attack.

Despite the presence of Mohamed Salah, Egypt struggled to find rhythm and went into the break deadlocked.

After the restart, Egypt gradually increased the tempo. Their persistence finally paid off in the 69th minute when Marwan Attia unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box, finishing off a move initiated by Salah down the right flank.

However, Benin refused to surrender. In the 83rd minute, Dossou capitalised on a defensive lapse to slot home the equaliser and force the match into extra time.

In the additional period, Egypt’s experience and composure proved decisive.

Just seven minutes into extra time, Yasser Ibrahim rose highest to meet a cross from the right, sending a looping header beyond the goalkeeper to restore Egypt’s lead.

Benin threw everything forward in search of another equaliser, but their attacking commitment left them vulnerable at the back.

Deep into stoppage time of extra time, Mohamed Salah sealed the victory, finishing off a swift counter-attack to score Egypt’s third goal and put the result beyond doubt.

It was a moment of relief for the Pharaohs, who had been tested to the limit by courageous opponents.

With the win, Egypt march on to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the tie between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

Benin exit the tournament with pride after a spirited campaign, while Nigeria and Egypt continue their pursuit of continental glory, each demonstrating different facets of what it takes to succeed at the highest level of African football.

Photos

• Nigeria vs Mozambique

• Egypt vs Benin