AFCON 2025: Super Eagles’ exit explained – 3 reasons why Nigeria stumbled vs Morocco

On Wednesday night, the Super Eagles bowed out of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) to the host nation Morocco on penalties.

While reactions have, predictably,been swift and brutal, it is worth noting that Nigeria kept a clean sheet still and only gave up shots worth a cumulative 0.86 xG – mainly low probability attempts from some distance. In that respect, at least, the three-time champions competed hard and held their own. 

However, they also did not score or significantly threaten, a far cry from the swashbuckling attacking football that had seen them notch 14 goals in the preceding five matches. So, for all their obduracy at the back, their overall performance left a lot to be desired. Here is a look at why Eric Chelle’s side looked so toothless in the semi-final in Rabat.

Homefield advantage

This can be easy to overlook, but a crowd can play a major part in the flow of matches by conditioning the atmosphere. Inside a full Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah, the noise was fearsome and the ambience was suffocating. A sea of red, complete with whistles, welcomed the Super Eagles to Rabat and set about them even before the Atlas Lions had a chance to do so.

An incredible experience seeing Morocco vs Nigeria live in Rabat 🇲🇦

An atmosphere like no other. Wow.#AFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/So43v1mzy2

— Markus Fjørtoft (@MarkusFjortoft) January 15, 2026

The effect of this was to fluster the Nigerian attackers, to this point so clear in their execution, and the feared OLA front three all had their least effective performances of the tournament. Heavy touches, break downs in communication, and dulled spatial perception were the order of the day.

Disabling the Super Eagles press

One key feature of the Super Eagles at AFCON 2025 has been their suffocating press. With it, they had clamped a number of opponents, with their near-total shutout of Algeria being the most impressive. However, it was not in effect against Morocco, and the absence of it prevented Nigeria from properly stamping their authority on proceedings. 

Morocco’s use of width in the first phase of build-up was crucial to this. In splitting their centre-backs extremely wide, it left Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams with far too much space to cover in order to properly apply pressure, not only tiring them out quicker, but increasing the distances between them and their teammates. In doing so, their ability to win second balls in the midfield was also severely compromised. This was even more pronounced because of…

Wilfred Ndidi’s absence

The suspension to the Besiktas man proved to be a massive blow for Nigeria. He may not be the most expansive in possession, and he may be getting on in age, but his anticipation and tenacity in the tackle are crucial to the functioning of Chelle’s system.

A press is only as good as its second and third waves, and without Ndidi, the Super Eagles struggled to properly gain territory and deal with second balls.

Raphael Onyedika, who came into the side to replace him, offers nowhere near the same level of physicality, and was unable to impose himself on the proceedings, thereby weakening Nigeria’s competitiveness.