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Super Eagles defender Bright Osayi-Samuel has said Nigeria should expect a difficult encounter against Morocco in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Osayi-Samuel spoke to Footy Africa after Nigeria’s 2–0 quarter-final victory over Algeria on Saturday. The Super Eagles limited the Desert Foxes to no shots on target, with goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams securing the win.
Looking ahead to Wednesday’s semi-final in Rabat, Osayi-Samuel said the team is focused on preparing for the next stage of the tournament and is aware of the difficulty posed by the host nation.
“I mean, to be fair, the Moroccans have supported us greatly, and now we are playing in their country,” Osayi-Samuel said.
“For us as players, it doesn’t affect us; we know what’s at stake, and what’s important is the game. Put in your performance and you do well; today we had a full house of Algerians, but we played well and focused on ourselves.”
Osayi-Samuel described the semi-final as an important opportunity for both himself and the team, noting that Nigeria is taking the tournament one match at a time.
“It’s a big opportunity for me. These are the games I dream of, and for me I want to win the AFCON. I have to take these opportunities; today I did, and the team did.
“We take each game as it comes, and Morocco will be a different team because they have the fans with them. It will be difficult, but we believe in ourselves.”
Reflecting on the quarter-final performance, the defender stated, “I think the way we are playing, Algeria didn’t have a shot on target today, so we keep believing in ourselves and keep doing what the manager wants us to do. We will beat Morocco too.”
