Osimhen, Lookman and Nigeria make light work of Mozambique to reach AFCON quarterfinals

2023 runners-up Nigeria took another step towards their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title since 2013 as they ended Mozambique’s historic run with a 4-0 victory in the round of 16.

The Mambas were making their debut in the AFCON knockout stages, but they never came close to troubling the Super Eagles, who dominated from the first whistle and have won their opening four matches at this tournament for the first time.

Victor Osimhen saw his would-be opener ruled out for offside within the opening 120 seconds, and Alex Iwobi had a shot saved before several more efforts were blocked.

Having knocked on the door for 20 minutes, Nigeria finally broke the deadlock through Ademola Lookman, who found the top corner with a clinical finish from inside the area for his third goal of the tournament.

Just five minutes later, the favourites doubled their advantage when Lookman’s cross was delicately helped on by Akor Adams, allowing Osimhen to tap into an empty net at the back post.

The striker then flicked a header narrowly wide, Wilfred Ndidi shot off-target from distance, and a rare chance went begging at the other end when Faisal Bangal nodded wide from close range.

That was the kind of opening Mozambique needed to make the most of to get back in the game, whereas their opponents could afford to see Adams arrow wide in the closing stages of the first half.

Eric Chelle’s men – unbeaten in the previous six H2Hs – continued where they left off after the restart, as Osimhen bagged his second goal, with Lookman again involved, this time threading an inviting cross to the back post, where it was duly prodded home. 

Bright Osayi-Samuel came close to adding a fourth with a strike that fizzed wide, and he was soon thwarted by Ernan Siluane, who saved another powerful effort before Lookman scrambled the rebound wide.

There was no let-up as the second half wore on, with Adams seeing a curling strike from the edge of the box brilliantly palmed away before finally getting his name on the scoresheet, skipping past his man and smashing into the near top corner after receiving Lookman’s lay-off.

That goal wrapped up the scoring, marking Nigeria’s joint-biggest AFCON win, level with a 4-0 success over South Africa in 2004 and teeing up a clash with either Algeria or DR Congo in the quarter-finals.