‘They were better than us’ - Riyad Mahrez admits that Super Eagles deserved the win

The Super Eagles advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament in Morocco with a convincing 2-0 win at the Marrakesh Stadium. 

Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock with a header early in the second half, and Akor Adams doubled the lead just ten minutes later to seal the result.

The victory extended the Super Eagles' winning streak without extra time to five games in the competition.

Speaking to the media after the match, the former Manchester City star acknowledged Nigeria's dominance on the day.

"I think the referee was not perfect, but that is not why we lost. We still have to mention it because it is football.

"It was unfortunate that they were better than us," Mahrez stated. "They deserve to win, to be honest."

Despite Algeria's recent run of good results against Nigeria, Mahrez emphasised the need for his team to accept the defeat gracefully.

"The last three games before, we beat them. Today they are better, we have to shake their hands and be honest," he added.

The Super Eagles will now turn their attention to the crucial semi-final against Morocco as they aim to keep their tournament title hopes alive.

They face the host nation for a spot in the final, where the winner will play either Egypt or Senegal.