Nigeria are seeking renewed unity and focus ahead of Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Algeria, as head coach Mr. Eric Chelle insists the Super Eagles are mentally and tactically prepared despite reports of off-field tension within the squad.

Led by Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Nigeria have emerged as one of the most impressive sides at the tournament. The Super Eagles arrived in Marrakesh for the last-eight encounter as the competition’s top scorers, having netted 12 goals in four matches.

Their campaign began with group-stage victories over Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda, before a commanding 4–0 demolition of Mozambique in Fes in the round of 16 — the heaviest win in an AFCON knockout match since 2010.

Osimhen and Lookman, winners of the African Player of the Year awards in 2023 and 2024 respectively, have played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s attacking dominance, scoring three goals each. Lookman has also provided four assists, underlining his influence as Nigeria pursue continental success to ease the pain of recent World Cup disappointment.

“The team is improving every single game,” Lookman said after the Mozambique victory.

Nigeria’s strong showing in Morocco comes against the backdrop of frustration following their failure to qualify for the World Cup. Although the Super Eagles narrowly reached the play-offs for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, their hopes ended in November with a penalty shoot-out defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Rabat.

The setback means Nigeria will miss a second consecutive World Cup, having previously appeared at six of the last seven editions — a sobering outcome for Africa’s most populous nation.

However, the Africa Cup of Nations has often provided a platform for redemption. Ivory Coast’s remarkable triumph at the previous edition, when the hosts recovered from the brink of group-stage elimination to lift the trophy with a final victory over Nigeria, remains a powerful reminder of the tournament’s unpredictability.

Of the nine African countries that qualified directly for this year’s World Cup, Ghana and Cape Verde failed to reach the AFCON finals in Morocco, reinforcing the separation between global qualification and continental success.

Nigeria, meanwhile, are hoping to claim a fourth AFCON title to soften the disappointment of missing the World Cup.

This week marks one year since Mr. Chelle, a former Mali international and coach, took charge of the Super Eagles. Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Marrakech on Friday, he stressed that his players are tactically organised and mentally ready for the challenge posed by Algeria.

“To win this game, we have to score goals,” Mr. Chelle said. “We analysed them, identified weaknesses, and worked on a plan. The players’ mindset is crucial because this is a big game.”

He added that the team’s final training session would be used to fine-tune tactical details, while emphasising unity, focus, and discipline against what he described as a highly professional Algerian side.

The build-up to the quarter-final has, however, been accompanied by reports of internal discord, following an incident during Nigeria’s last-16 win over Mozambique. Osimhen appeared visibly frustrated with Lookman after not receiving a pass, and was later substituted. The Galatasaray striker did not join his teammates on the pitch for the post-match celebrations.

Lookman subsequently played down suggestions of a rift between the two forwards.

“He’s our number one guy, everyone knows this,” Lookman told journalists. “Top striker, top player. The rest is not really important.”

Assistant captain, Mr. Moses Simon, echoed the team’s determination, saying the Super Eagles are motivated to rewrite history following Algeria’s 2–1 semi-final victory over Nigeria at the 2019 AFCON in Cairo, sealed by a late Riyad Mahrez goal.

“We know what happened in 2019, but this is a different mindset,” Mr. Simon said. “We have many hungry young players. Our goal is to win and make our dreams come true.”

Saturday’s contest at the Grand Stade de Marrakech will be the 25th senior international meeting between Nigeria and Algeria. While Algeria hold a slight historical advantage, Nigeria famously defeated the North Africans on penalties in Morocco during the 1988 AFCON.

For Mr. Chelle and his players, the task is clear: restore harmony, maintain momentum, and turn goals into glory against one of Africa’s most formidable opponents.