Nigeria vs Morocco AFCON preview: Super Eagles seek to extend strong run against dominant Atlas Lions.
| Tournament: | Africa Cup of Nations |
|---|---|
| Venue: | Complexe Sportif Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat |
| Date: | 14.01.2026 |
| Time: | 20:00 GMT |
Nigeria vs Morocco Form and Head to Head
Nigeria enter this match following a 2-0 victory over Algeria in their last Africa Cup of Nations match. The Super Eagles have been in decent form recently, with five wins and one loss in their last six outings. The wins came against Mozambique (4-0), Tunisia (3-2), Tanzania (2-1), Uganda (1-3), and Algeria. The loss was against Egypt (2-1) in an International Friendly.
Morocco also come into this game on the back of a 2-0 victory, having defeated Cameroon in their last Africa Cup of Nations match. The Atlas Lions have been in excellent form, securing five wins in their last six matches. These victories were against Cameroon (2-0), Zambia (3-0), Comoros (2-0) and Tanzania (1-0). Their only setback was a 1-1 draw against Mali.
The previous meeting between these two sides saw Nigeria defeat Morocco 4-3 after extra time in the African Nations Championship back in 2014. Across the last four encounters, Morocco have won twice, Nigeria once, and one match ended in a draw.
Who is the betting favourite in Nigeria vs Morocco?
Latest odds point to Morocco as favourites to beat Nigeria, giving them an implied win probability of around 45%, compared to just 27% for the Super Eagles.
| Match Result | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 16/5 | BresBet |
| Morocco | 5/4 | Star Sports |
| Draw | 21/10 | AK Bets |
Odds last updated at 11:30AM Wednesday, 14th January.
Paddy Power
- Trusted parent company
- Industry leader in promotions/marketing
- Competitive pricing
Nigeria vs Morocco Team News
Nigeria will be without Wilfred Ndidi due to suspension. Raphael Onyedika is likely to replace him in midfield.
Morocco will miss Azzedine Ounahi, who is sidelined with an injury.
Nigeria vs Morocco Predicted Lineups
Nigeria (4-3-1-2): Nwabali; Onyemaechi, Bassey, Ajayi, Osayi-Samuel; Iwobi, Onyedika, Onyeka; Lookman; Adams, Osimhen
Morocco (4-1-4-1): Bounou; Mazraoui, Masina, Aguerd, Hakimi; E. Aynaoui; Ezzalzouli, Saibari, E. Khannouss, Díaz; E. Kaabi
Lineups powered by WhoScored.
Nigeria vs Morocco Match Prediction
Morocco's organised play and home crowd give them a real edge, especially with their strong aerial game and precise passing. Nigeria throw plenty of numbers forward but struggle with offsides and lack that same cohesion. Expect a close one, but the Atlas Lions to nick it 2-1 thanks to a tighter midfield and rock-solid defence.
Prediction: Nigeria 1-2 Morocco
Nigeria vs Morocco Bet Builder Tip
Our Nigeria vs Morocco Bet Builder Tip combines:
- Both teams to score.
- Brahim Diaz to register one or more shots on target.
- Victor Osimhen to register two or more shots on target.
- Over 2.5 Total Goals
Best odds of 27/1 at BetMGM UK while publishing which are much higher than other publishers such as Paddy Power (16/1), Boyle Sports (19/1), etc.
Both teams to score.
Both Diaz and Osimhen remain in red-hot form, with Nigeria averaging high goal tallies and needing just two more to claim the single-tournament scoring record. Combined with recent head-to-heads and five of Nigeria's six games hitting over 2.5 goals, this sets up chances at both ends for a livewire contest where both sides find the net.
Brahim Diaz to register one or more shots on target.
Brahim Diaz tops the AFCON scoring charts with five goals from every match so far, including penalty duties that boost his threat. His shots on target read 1,1,2,2,2 across those games, making another on-target effort a near-certainty in this semi-final spotlight.
Victor Osimhen to register two or more shots on target.
Victor Osimhen sits one goal behind Diaz and drives Nigeria's free-flowing attack, directly involved in 19 shots during the group stage alone (13 taken, six created). Over his last five outings, he has notched 2,3,1,1,3 shots on target, underlining his relentless shot volume.
Over 2.5 Total Goals
With Diaz and Osimhen primed to pepper the target alongside team efforts, expect goals to flow despite knockout trends. Nigeria's five-of-six games have cleared 2.5 goals, as have their last two head-to-heads with Morocco, pointing to an open, high-scoring semi.
Make sure to get the best odds on your Bet Builders with our exclusive Bet Builder Comparison Tool.
