Nigeria vs Algeria; AFCON 2025 Quarter-final Preview
Written by Chuckwu C. Ikechukwu
Algeria’s Desert Foxes edged DR Congo’s Leopards to book a quarter-final showdown with Nigeria’s high-flying Super Eagles, who swept aside Mozambique’s Mambas 4–0 in the Round of 16. Against DR Congo, Algeria had to dig deep. The match appeared destined for a penalty shootout until the Desert Foxes finally broke the deadlock in the 119th minute, scoring the decisive goal to seal a 1–0 victory.
Saturday’s quarter-final, scheduled for 10 January, offers Nigeria a timely chance for revenge following their 0–1 defeat to Algeria at AFCON 2019—a tournament the Desert Foxes went on to win.
Algeria are two-time AFCON champion, lifting the trophy as hosts in 1990 and again in Egypt in 2019. In this year’s edition, they have looked every bit the part, winning all three group-stage matches—matching Nigeria’s perfect group record, though the Super Eagles did so with a superior goal margin in Group C. Notably, history favours the Desert Foxes: in both 1990 and 2019, Algeria won the tournament after completing a flawless group stage, a pattern that will fuel their belief as they face a confident Nigerian side.
Nigeria, however, have been the tournament’s most potent attacking team so far. They are the only side to have scored four goals in a single match at this year’s AFCON, and they also boast the highest overall tally, with 12 goals to date. With a star-studded squad and momentum on their side, the Super Eagles will approach this tie convinced they can extend their winning run.
The rivalry between these two nations is rich and well-documented. In their head-to-head record, Nigeria hold a narrow advantage with eight wins to Algeria’s seven, with five draws between them. One of Algeria’s victories came in the final of Algiers ’90, which delivered their first AFCON crown. Among the draws is the famous 1–1 result in Algiers in 1993, which helped Clemens Westerhof’s Nigeria qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup—after Nigeria had earlier beaten Algeria 4–1 in Lagos in the first round of qualifiers.
Algeria’s first World Cup appearance in 1982 also came at Nigeria’s expense, after victories over the Green Eagles both in Lagos and in Algeria. Nigeria, for their part, can point to several landmark wins: the 3–0 demolition of Algeria in Lagos in 1980 en route to its first AFCON title; denying Algeria a place at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul; and eliminating the Desert Foxes on penalties in the semi-finals of the 1988 AFCON in Morocco.
It is against this backdrop of competitive history and shared milestones that Saturday’s quarter-final will be played. Yet, on current form, Nigeria appear the more complete side—and will be eager to turn that advantage into another memorable chapter in this storied rivalry.
It’s Nigeria vs. Algeria for AFCON 2025 Quarter Finals.
The Desert Foxes of Algeria overcame the Leopards of DR Congo to set up a quarter-finals encounter with the high-flying Super Eagles of Nigeria, who had subdued the Mambas of Mozambique 4-0 in one of the round of 16 matches.
It took the Desert Foxes 119th Minutes to break the deadlock and score the only goal of the match, which was already heading to a penalty shoot-out. The quarter-final match slated for Saturday, 10th January, will give the Nigerian side the much-needed opportunity to avenge the 2019 0-1 defeat to Algeria, who went on to win the tournament.
Algeria, two times AFCON Champions; one as host in 1990 and in neighbouring Egypt in 2019, won all 3 matches in the group stage, the same feat Nigeria achieved with a higher goal margin in Group C. The record books shows that in 1990 and 2019 when the Desert Foxes won the tournament, they had a perfect Group performance, this would be their motivation as they square up against the high soaring Super Eagles with star studded players and the only team to have scored 4 goals in this year’s edition and also the team with the highest NO of goals with 12 goals thus far.
In previous head to head encounter, Nigeria has a slight edge with 8 wins over Algeria, as against Algeria’s 7 wins against Nigeria. However, one of the wins is the final match of Algiers 90′, which was Algeria’s first AFCON triumph. Both teams have drawn five times, which includes the 1-1 draw in Algiers in 1993 that saw the then Clemens Westerhof side qualify for their first ever World Cup. This was after a convincing 4-1 defeat of the Desert Foxes in Lagos in the first round. Algeria’s first World Cup appearance in 1982 was achieved at the expense of Nigeria after beating the then Green Eagles in Lagos and Algeria.
Nigeria’s several victories against Algeria include the 3-0 bashing of Algeria in Lagos in 1980 to win its first AFCON trophy. Apart from stopping the Algerians from reaching the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, the Super Eagles also triumphed over the Desert Foxes through a penalty shootout at the 1988 AFCON semi-final in Morocco. It is the rich background of rivalry that the Saturday quarter-final will be played in. However, this time, the Super Eagles seem the better side and look set to extend their winning streak against the Algerians.
