Nigeria's Osimhen Scores, Assists in Stunning AFCON Win

Nigeria's Super Eagles soared into the AFCON semi-finals with a performance that showcased the beautiful side of African football at its finest.

Victor Osimhen, the 2023 African player of the year, delivered when it mattered most in Marrakesh on Saturday. He headed in the opening goal just two minutes into the second half, then unselfishly set up teammate Akor Adams to seal the 2-0 victory before the hour mark.

The win was even more impressive considering the atmosphere. Nearly all of the 32,452 fans packed into the stadium against the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains were cheering for Algeria, but Nigeria refused to be intimidated.

"A very big congratulations to the whole team for the kind of performance they put in against a very good Algeria team," Osimhen said after collecting the man-of-the-match trophy. "For me I just did my job."

Nigeria dominated throughout, with Algeria's star-studded front line failing to register a single shot in the entire first half. The Super Eagles created chances early, nearly scoring when Calvin Bassey's shot was hooked away from the goal line in the 30th minute.

Coach Eric Chelle's half-time talk proved decisive. His team emerged with renewed energy and quickly found the breakthrough when Osimhen powered home a header from Bruno Onyemaechi's cross.

The Galatasaray striker is now on fire with four goals in his last four matches. His second-half assist to Adams showed the team-first mentality driving Nigeria's campaign, as he squared the ball instead of shooting when through on goal.

Why This Inspires

Nigeria arrived in Morocco still hurting from their failure to qualify for the upcoming World Cup. Instead of letting disappointment define them, the Super Eagles channeled that energy into a tournament run that has them scoring more goals than any other team with 14 total.

Their journey proves that setbacks can fuel comebacks. The runners-up from two years ago are now just two wins away from claiming their fourth continental crown.

Wednesday's semi-final in Rabat against Morocco promises to be even more challenging with the home crowd behind their opponents. But if this quarter-final showed anything, it's that this Nigeria team thrives under pressure.

The Super Eagles are flying high and inspiring a nation to dream again.