Nigeria vs Morocco: Ighalo tells Super Eagles stars how to beat Atlas Lions

Former Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo believes that the Nigerian national team players must step up their game following the excellent performance against Algeria if they are to stand a chance of beating Morocco.

Eric Chelle’s side are set to play the hosts, the Atlas Lions, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14th, for a chance to advance their charge for a fourth AFCON title.

As Pulse Sports reported, Morocco’s comparable form, superior head-to-head record, and status as the tournament’s hosts mean that they are the bookies' favourite to qualify. Given the incredible challenge the Super Eagles face, knocking the hosts out in front of their home crowd, Ighalo urged extra effort from the team.

The AFCON 2019 top scorer was speaking as a panellist on Supersport’s preview of the game, where he highlighted certain strengths that the Atlas Lions possess and how the Super Eagles must counteract them.

“The players must be mentally ready for this match. They will face great pressure against the Moroccan national team.” Ighalo said. “As you know, the Moroccan team is young, and they possess speed and agility in handling the ball.

“If Nigeria wants to win this match, the players must exert more effort than they did against Algeria and silence that stadium. I believe they have the ability to achieve that.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s former captain and defensive pillar, William Troost-Ekong, has officially validated the coaching genius of Eric Chelle, praising the "diamond in midfield" that has transformed the Super Eagles into the most feared team at AFCON 2025.

In an emotional video message sent to the squad from Saudi Arabia just hours before their semi-final against Morocco, Troost-Ekong didn't just offer motivation; he offered a technical breakdown of why Nigeria is currently "unplayable."