Algeria vs Nigeria prediction: AFRICA: Africa Cup of Nations – Play Offs betting tips on match 2026-01-09 16:00.
[p]If Nigeria are to reach back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals, they’ll have to overcome an Algeria side who have dominated the recent history of this fixture. [/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]After humiliating group stage exits at the last two editions of AFCON, Algeria have left nothing to chance this time around and have breezed into the quarter-finals with four successive victories. They made hard work of dispatching D.R. Congo in the last 16, needing a last-ditch goal in extra time to advance, but their form at this tournament has helped contribute to a run of 11 wins from their last 14 internationals (D2, L1). Algeria look to stretch that run here in Marrakech, with this serving as their first game outside of Rabat at this tournament, which could prove to be an untimely switch from familiar surroundings given the Greens have fallen at this stage in four of their last six AFCON knockout appearances. [/p]
[p]Nigeria made much lighter work of their last 16 clash, beating Mozambique 4-0 to keep up a phenomenal pedigree at the knockout stage of AFCON, which has seen them reach the semi-finals of this competition a joint-record 16 times. Few would bet against them taking the next step on the road towards a first AFCON crown since 2013 here after four successive wins and scoring a competition-high 12 goals at the tournament so far. Despite winning in dominant fashion in this edition, Nigeria haven’t won an AFCON quarter-final clash by more than a single-goal margin since 1994, so this could be a much tighter contest than recent results suggest. [/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Algeria have won each of the last three H2Hs, although they all came by just a one-goal margin. [/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Six of Algeria’s last nine games featured under 2.5 goals inside 90 minutes.[/p]
[p]Algeria’s five first-half goals are a joint-high for this tournament before the quarter-finals. [/p]
[p]All four of the goals Nigeria have conceded at this tournament arrived after half-time.[/p]
[p]Six of Nigeria’s last seven matches saw both teams score.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]A goal from Algeria’s Mohamed Amoura usually leads to an entertaining affair since his last 12 international scoring appearances came in games containing over 2.5 goals. Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman has scored in three of their four games at this tournament, with his last-16 strike against Mozambique the only one of his 11 international goals to arrive before the 25th minute. [/p]
[p]Algeria lost Ismaël Bennacer to injury against D.R. Congo, while Anis Hadj-Moussa will be suspended. Nigeria are close to full strength.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]With these two sides the joint-highest first-half scorers at this tournament, both teams to score in the first half seems a smart pick. [/p]
[p][i]Author: Chris Wilson[/i][/p]