Nigeria continue their quest for a fourth continental title against Mozambique, who have reached the knockout phase of the competition for the first time.
The Round of 16 encounter will be played at the Stade de Fes on 5 January, with kick-off at 20h00 local time (19h00 GMT).
This will be the second meeting between the teams at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Their previous AFCON encounter came in the final group game of the 2010 tournament, when Nigeria ran out 3–0 winners. Peter Odemwingie scored twice, finding the net in the 45th and 47th minutes, while Obafemi Martins added a third goal in the 86th minute.
Overall, the sides have met five times in all competitions. Nigeria remain undefeated with four wins and one draw.
They also met in the second round of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which doubled as AFCON qualifiers. The first leg in Maputo on 29 March 2009 ended goalless. Nigeria won the return leg 1–0 on 11 October 2009, with Victor Obinna scoring the only goal in second-half stoppage time. Nigeria qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while both teams also reached the 2010 AFCON finals.
Their most recent meeting was a friendly international played on 16 October 2023 in the Portuguese city of Albufeira. Nigeria won 3–2, with goals from Terem Moffi, Frank Onyeka and Moses Simon. Geny Catamo and Faisal scored for Mozambique.
PAST MEETINGS
OVERALL
Nigeria: P5 W4 D1 L0 GF6 GA2 GD+4
Mozambique: P5 W0 D1 L4 GF2 GA6 GD-4
AFCON ONLY
Nigeria: P1 W1 D0 L0 GF3 GA0 GD+3
Mozambique: P1 W0 D0 L1 GF0 GA3 GD-3
PAST AFCON MEETINGS
2010 – Group C – 20 January 2010
Nigeria 3 (Odemwingie 45’, 47’, Martins 80’) Mozambique 0
Nigeria – Key Statistics
· Participating in the direct knockout rounds for the 18th time.
· In 1976 the competition was played over two group stages; Nigeria progressed from the first to the second. Including that tournament, they have passed beyond the group stages for a 19th time.
· This is their 16th successive appearance in the knockout rounds, having last failed to progress beyond the group stage in 1982.
· Came through the group stages with three wins, defeating Tanzania 2–1, Tunisia 3–2 and Uganda 3–1.
· Won all three of their group games for the first time since 2021.
· Have now won three group games at AFCON for a third time, having also done so in 2006.
· This is the fourth time Nigeria have won all of their group games at AFCON; they also did so in 1992 when groups were composed of three teams.
· Victory over Uganda was Nigeria’s 61st win at AFCON, the second-most by any nation behind Egypt (62).
· Scored eight goals in the group stages, their highest tally in an AFCON group phase.
· Scored at least two goals in each of their three group games for the first time at AFCON.
· Conceded four goals in the group stages, taking their total goals conceded at AFCON to 99.
· Should they concede again, Nigeria will become the fourth team to have conceded 100 or more goals at AFCON, along with Côte d’Ivoire (112), DR Congo (108) and Tunisia (102).
· Have scored in their last 10 AFCON matches, their longest scoring streak at the tournament.
· Last failed to score at AFCON in a 1–0 loss to Tunisia in the 2021 Round of 16.
· Have conceded in their last five AFCON matches; their last clean sheet came in a 1–0 quarter-final win over Angola in 2023.
· Prior to this run, they had kept four consecutive clean sheets.
· This is Nigeria’s fourth Round of 16 appearance; they progressed in 2019 and 2023 and were eliminated in 2021.
· Defeated Cameroon 3–2 in the 2019 Round of 16, with Odion Ighalo scoring twice and Alex Iwobi netting the winner.
· Lost 1–0 to Tunisia in the 2021 Round of 16, with Youssef Msakni scoring in the 47th minute.
· Beat Cameroon 2–0 in the 2023 Round of 16, Ademola Lookman scoring both goals.
· Victory will take Nigeria to the quarter-finals for the 12th time.
· Since the quarter-final stage was introduced in 1992, Nigeria have failed to reach the last eight only once, in 2021.
· Have been involved in eight AFCON penalty shoot-outs, winning six and losing two.
· Five of their seven penalty shoot-outs have come at semi-final stage.
· Their six shoot-out wins are joint-most in AFCON history alongside Egypt.
· Their two shoot-out defeats came against Cameroon in the 2000 Final and Tunisia in the 2004 Semi-finals.
· Won their first three AFCON penalty shoot-outs, all in semi-finals in 1984, 1988 and 1994.
· Have only been involved in one penalty shoot-out in an AFCON Final, the 2000 loss to Cameroon.
· Have won their last three penalty shoot-outs, most recently beating South Africa 4–2 in the 2023 semi-finals.
· Paul Onuachu became Nigeria’s 70th different AFCON scorer with his goal against Uganda.
· Samuel Chukwueze created five chances and made seven line-breaking passes against Uganda, the most in the match.
· Chukwueze recorded two assists against Uganda, his first assists in his 16th AFCON appearance.
· Chukwueze has four goal involvements across 16 AFCON games, and for the first time has recorded two in a single edition.
· Raphael Onyedika scored twice against Uganda, his first AFCON goals, both from shots on target.
· Had 72% possession against Uganda.
· Attempted 576 passes against Uganda, completing 528.
· Igoh Ogbu completed 76 passes against Uganda, the most by any player in the match.
Mozambique – Key Statistics
· Reached the knockout stages for the first time at their sixth attempt.
· Failed to progress beyond the group stage in their first five AFCON appearances.
· Became the 33rd nation to reach the AFCON knockout rounds.
· Recorded their first-ever AFCON finals victory by defeating Gabon in the group stage; this remains their only win in 18 AFCON matches (D4 L13).
· Lost their final group game against Cameroon 2–1 despite scoring first, having never previously lost an AFCON match when leading (W1 D1).
· Have never been involved in a 0–0 draw at AFCON; all 18 of their matches have produced goals.
· Are yet to keep a clean sheet at AFCON, conceding in all 18 games.
· Along with Zimbabwe, are the only teams to have conceded in each of their first 18 AFCON matches.
· Have scored in their last two games, the first time they have netted in successive matches at the same AFCON edition.
· If they score again, it will be the first time they have scored in three matches at a single AFCON finals.
· Nigeria are the fourth team Mozambique have faced multiple times at AFCON or AFCON-related competition.
· Have lost all three meetings with Côte d’Ivoire, met Egypt four times (L3 D1) and faced Ghana twice (L1 D1).
· Playing a West African opponent for the 10th time (P9 W0 D2 L7).
· Have failed to score in all seven of their defeats against West African teams.
· Only avoided defeat against West African opposition in 2–2 draws with Benin in 2010 and Ghana in 2023.
· Geny Catamo scored against Cameroon, following his goal against Gabon.
· Catamo is the first Mozambican player to score in back-to-back AFCON matches.
· Has now scored three AFCON goals, including one at the 2023 tournament.
· Has four goal contributions in five AFCON appearances, the most by any Mozambican player.
· Both of Mozambique’s shots on target against Cameroon came in the first half.
· Edmilson Dove won nine duels against Cameroon, the most by any player in the match.
· Dove also won five aerial duels in that game.
· Infren Matola lost possession 19 times against Cameroon.
The President of Mozambique celebrated the win over Gabon in very exuberant fashion 🎉🤩
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) December 29, 2025
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