Super Eagles of Nigeria, who swept through the group stage with three straight wins, will try to maintain their good form when they face Mozambique in the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Fes on Monday.

The Super Eagles are favourites against the Mambas, but Mozambique has already proved that they can upset more known sides.

A victory over Gabon, coupled with spirited displays in defeats to hosts Ivory Coast and Cameroon, underlined their ability to compete with Africa’s traditional heavyweights.

Nigeria will be buoyed by their excellent start to the tournament and what appears to be a favourable last-16 draw.

With confidence high in Éric Sékou Chelle’s camp, the Super Eagles will look to take another significant step towards ending their long wait for continental glory.

Midfielders Alex Iwobi and Ademola Lookman have been among Nigeria’s standout performers so far, providing creativity and drive. However, lingering defensive concerns remain, and Mozambique are expected to target those weaknesses through Sporting CP winger Geny Catamo.

Catamo has been one of Mozambique’s key attacking threats, converting a penalty in their 3-2 win over Gabon before scoring a fine goal in a narrow 2-1 loss to Cameroon.

The winner of Monday’s match will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face either Algeria or DR Congo.

A prospective encounter with DR Congo would bring back memories of Nigeria’s humiliation in the 2026 CAF World Cup qualification playoff final, which allowed the Leopards to proceed to the inter-confederation playoffs.

Date: Monday, January 5

Kick-off: 20:00 WAT (21:00 CAT, 20:00 Moroccan time, 19:00 GMT)

Venue: Fez Stadium

How to watch: Live on SuperSport in Nigeria and South Africa. (SUN)

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