Nigeria Vs Morocco: Chelle makes one change, Onyedika in for suspended Ndidi; Osimhen, Akor lead the line again
Nigeria will head into their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final with one enforced change, as Raphael Onyedika replaces the suspended Wilfred Ndidi in midfield. Coach Eric Chelle has otherwise kept faith with his attacking duo of Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams, who will once again lead the line.
The Super Eagles have been in free-scoring form at the current finals, finding the net at least twice in each of their five matches so far. It is the first time Nigeria have managed such consistency at an AFCON, and only the second time they have scored two or more goals in five games at a single edition, having previously achieved the feat in 2000.
Their tally of 14 goals at these finals is Nigeria’s highest at a single AFCON. The last team to reach that mark was Cameroon in 2021.
The Eagles have also maintained a remarkable scoring run, finding the net in each of their last 12 AFCON matches. The last time they failed to score was in the Round of 16 defeat to Tunisia in 2021.
Nigeria’s semi-final record stands at 15 matches played, with eight wins and seven defeats. Four of those victories came in open play, while the other four were secured via penalties.
A win in this latest semi-final would take Nigeria to their ninth AFCON final, and mark the second time they have reached back-to-back finals, having previously done so in 1988 and 1990.
The Super Eagles’ past final appearances came in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2013 and 2023.
Should they progress, it would also be their fourth final staged in North Africa. This semi-final marks Nigeria’s fifth in their last six AFCON participations, underlining their consistency at the continental showpiece.
