Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has heaped praise on Nigeria’s players following their convincing 2–0 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final victory over Algeria, Soccernet.ng reports.
Thanks to two second-half goals from Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen and Sevilla striker Akor Adams, the 2013 AFCON champions silenced the Fennec Foxes at the Stade de Marrakech.
Following this, they secured a semi-final spot in the 35th edition of the tournament, where they will face the host nation, Morocco.
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Troost-Ekong on Super Eagles win
Speaking exclusively to Soccernet.ng, Troost-Ekong described the performance as one of the best he has seen from the current squad.
“Top performance from the whole team! Best I’ve seen the boys play and growing game by game. Still my favourites to win,” he said.
Nigeria’s growing with each match
Nigeria’s dominant display against Algeria, where they capitalised on key moments through Victor Osimhen’s opener and his assist for Akor Adams’ second goal, was the talking point. Following this, Eric Chelle’s men have demonstrated a level of maturity that sets them apart from previous editions.
The former captain touched on the team’s progress under Eric Chelle, who has transformed players like Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey, and Osimhen into a side capable of thriving both offensively and defensively.
Confidence heading into AFCON 2025 semi-final
With a semi-final clash against hosts Morocco on the horizon, the former Watford defender believes Nigeria have the mentality to go all the way.
“Still my favourites to win,” he reiterated to Soccernet.ng
The 2023 AFCON runners-up will face an even tougher challenge when they take on a disciplined Morocco side on home soil. However, the team remains undistracted, fully focused on securing a fourth Africa Cup of Nations title.