SEMI-FINAL BOUND: NIGERIA SECURE A DOMINANT 2-0 VICTORY TO ELIMINATE RIVALS ALGERIA
Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams secure Nigeria’s place in the AFCON semi-final. Analysis of Algeria’s exit and Ndidi’s injury concerns.
Nigeria looked every bit the favourites as they punched their ticket to the AFCON semi-final, setting up a clash with Morocco after Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams sent Algeria packing.
Right from the start, you could sense the nerves. Both teams played it safe, afraid to push too many players forward and get caught on the break. By the 15th minute, the match finally found its rhythm, but neither side really tested the goalkeepers.
Then came Algeria’s big mistake in the 23rd minute. They coughed up the ball in transition, and suddenly, Nigeria had a four-on-two. Ademola Lookman found himself in space and fired off a shot that forced a sharp save from Luca Zidane.
Not long after, Osimhen looked certain to score. He broke clear, with only Zidane to beat, but Rayan Aït-Nouri slid in and stole the ball away at the last second—saving Algeria from going behind in the 27th minute.
Algeria had their own defensive heroics moments later. On the 29th, Calvin Bassey got a head on a dangerous free kick from Lookman, and as the ball bounced towards the line, Ramy Bensbaini scrambled back and hacked it clear. Zidane was beaten, but Bensbaini bailed him out.
Then, in the 36th minute, Akor Adams found himself with the kind of chance strikers dream about. Alex Iwobi won the ball in midfield, threaded a perfect pass, and Adams just had the keeper to beat. But, maybe feeling the pressure, he skied it over the bar—a golden opportunity wasted.
Despite all the action, the first half ended 0-0.
But it didn’t stay that way for long. Barely ninety seconds into the second half, Bruno Onyemaechi whipped in a cross to the back post, and Osimhen soared above everyone to head Nigeria in front.
Just ten minutes later, Adams made up for his earlier miss. Iwobi slipped Osimhen down the left, Osimhen beat his man, and squared it for Adams, who calmly sidestepped the keeper and tapped it home. Nigeria now had one foot in the semi-final.
On the hour mark, Riyad Mahrez left the field—his last AFCON appearance. The Algerian captain, famous for his spells at Leicester and Manchester City, leaves behind a legacy as a national legend and a role model for younger players.
The only real worry for Nigeria came when Wilfred Ndidi limped off in the 68th minute after picking up a muscle injury. Losing their skipper won’t sit well with coach Éric Chelle or the fans.
Algeria finally managed a shot in the 80th minute, but Baghdad Boundjah’s hopeful strike from a distance never looked like it would trouble the keeper. Desperation had set in.
Adams nearly grabbed a second late on, meeting an Osimhen cross with a powerful header, only to see the ball crash off the post.
As time ran out, Algeria’s frustration boiled over. They resorted to needless fouls, but the fight had gone out of them. Nigeria saw out the rest of the match and now heads confidently into the semi-finals, still chasing the trophy.
ELITE CLUBS INITIATE EMERGENCY TALKS TO SIGN THE HOTTEST MIDFIELD PROSPECT KEES SMIT IN EUROPE
AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit is the hottest prospect in Europe. Discover the £70m race between Real Madrid, Barcelona, and the Premier League.
Real Madrid’s strategy for finding talent often involves spotting promising players early on, and Kees Smit is starting to catch serious attention.
This midfielder from AZ Alkmaar has been making waves in the Netherlands, and now his progress is drawing interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid.
Rafael van der Vaart, who knows firsthand what it takes to make it at the Bernabeu, seems confident about Smit’s potential.
When Van der Vaart spoke on Ziggo Sport’s Rondo (via Mundo Deportivo), he didn’t hold back about the young player’s future.
“He’s truly a remarkable player.
We tend to throw around the word 'good' a lot, but with him, it’s genuine.
If he keeps developing at this pace, there’s little doubt he’ll land at Real Madrid or another top club, Real Madrid being the prime example in my mind.”
Still, Van der Vaart also stressed that talent alone won’t carry Smit all the way.
Handling the mental pressure will be just as crucial as his skills on the pitch. He elaborated,
“He needs to learn how to deal with everything that comes with this kind of spotlight, but from what I see, he remains quite grounded.
He doesn’t seem fazed by pressure, at least not visibly. Plus, he handles interviews well and comes across as quite composed.”
As for Real Madrid’s stance, Smit is definitely on their radar. The club sees him as one of Europe’s more promising midfielders, and they’re keeping a close eye on his development.
That said, he’s not considered an urgent target this summer, with other positions taking priority. This situation could open the door to competition from others.
Meanwhile, several Premier League clubs are tracking his progress, and Barcelona reportedly have shown interest too.
As interest mounts, so does the expected price. Any transfer is rumoured to require a hefty sum, with figures reportedly topping €50 million.
For now, Smit’s focus remains on growing at AZ Alkmaar. But if his upward trend continues, it’s likely only a matter of time before a major European club makes their move.
EXCLUSIVE: AJAX AND SCHALKE LAUNCH BIDS FOR OUT-OF-CONTRACT RANGERS MIDFIELDER BAILEY RICE NOW
Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice is a top target for Ajax and Schalke. Get the latest on his contract status and potential summer exit.
Ajax and Schalke are chasing Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice, with both clubs working to seal a deal for the 19-year-old, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Rangers just wrapped up a training camp in Spain, gearing up for a crucial five-game stretch to go for the league title after the split earlier this month. Their run-in starts with Motherwell at home on Sunday, then a massive trip to face league leaders Hearts at Tynecastle next weekend.
After that comes the season’s final Old Firm showdown against Celtic at Parkhead on May 10, before closing out with Hibernian and Falkirk, who are the lowest-ranked teams in the split, having finished fifth and sixth.
This summer looks set for big changes at Rangers, and Rice is right at the centre of it. Romano reported on X that both Ajax and Schalke want to sign Rice as a free agent. The young Scottish midfielder is out of contract this summer. Talks over a new deal with Rangers haven’t worked out, so he’s weighing up his next move. Schalke reportedly already made him a personal offer, and Premier League side Aston Villa had also been linked with him earlier this year.
Rice has barely featured for Rangers this season after suffering a serious training injury that needed surgery; he’s only played a handful of minutes.
As for the rest of the squad, Rangers look set for another overhaul. After a busy transfer window last summer and more signings in January, things don’t seem to be slowing down. Manager Rohl has made do with what he has, but the club’s owners, the 49ers, are ready to back a ‘major recruitment drive’ this summer. Their aim? Knock Celtic off the top and keep Hearts from breaking up the Old Firm grip on Scottish football.
Nobody knows just how many players could come in yet, but it’s clear the owners are serious about shaking things up at Ibrox.
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