Super Eagles: Mahrez highlights crucial difference between DRC & Nigeria ahead of AFCON 2025 QF

Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez believes Nigeria’s Super Eagles will present a very different examination from the one his side negotiated in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) round of 16, setting the tone for a quarterfinal that pits the tournament’s two most consistent teams against each other. 

The Desert Foxes edged past DR Congo to reach the last eight, and Mahrez is already bracing for a more open contest against the Super Eagles in Marrakesh.

Both nations arrive with identical records, four wins from four but have taken contrasting routes. Nigeria’s progress has been powered by attacking authority, while Algeria have built their run on defensive control. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s meeting, Mahrez suggested that stylistic differences could shape the tempo and space available on the pitch.

🚨🇩🇿 Riyad Mahrez: “I’m afraid… 😂”

“They 🇳🇬 scored a lot of goals in this competition.” pic.twitter.com/gbbdqdd4Dg

— Dean Ammi (@AlgerianFooty) January 9, 2026

“In our next match, we will face a different opponent compared to DR Congo,” Mahrez said. “We expect the next match to be more open, which will give us more space to showcase our abilities, and we must be fully prepared.” The former Manchester City winger’s assessment points to a game likely to stretch across the width of the pitch, rather than the compact, physical battle Algeria endured in the previous round.

Appraising Mahrez’s Super Eagles assessment holds weight

Nigeria lead the scoring charts with 12 goals, a return that underlines their sharpness in the final third and the rhythm they have found going forward. Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and company have punished opponents with speed and precision, often forcing games to open up early.

That attacking ambition, however, has come with moments of vulnerability. The Super Eagles have managed just one clean sheet so far and were tested defensively by both Tanzania and Tunisia, who found ways to apply pressure and create spells of discomfort.

Nigeria’s narrow defensive shape can also invite danger from wide areas, a detail that may encourage Algeria. With Mahrez and the Greens’ other wide attackers adept at exploiting space, the matchup promises a tactical contest where Nigeria’s firepower meets Algeria’s discipline and where margins are likely to matter.

The Super Eagles, meanwhile, remain focused on maintaining their momentum after asserting themselves as one of the standout attacking sides of AFCON 2025. With the prize of a semifinal against either Morocco or Cameroon on the line, the meeting carries weight beyond reputation, history, or form.