Nigeria vs Mozambique prediction 05.01.2026 | Africa Cup of Nations
Nigeria
4 - 0
Elapsed: FT
Half time: 2 - 0
Full time: 4 - 0
Kick off:
Date:
Mozambique
The match has ended, you can view today's football predictions and football predictions for tomorrow.
Contents
- Competition: Africa Cup of Nations, 1/8 Finals
- Date: Monday, 5th January, 2026
- Kickoff: 19:00 UK / 20:00 CET
- Venue: Complexe sportif de Fès (Fès)
The knockout phase of the 35th AFCON has begun. In one of the 1/8 Finals duels, one of the leading title contenders, Nigeria, will face one of the weakest teams in the knockout phase, Mozambique. While Mozambique secured their place in the last 16 with only three points and thanks to the ranking of the best third-placed teams, Nigeria were dominant, winning all three of their group matches.
Let's break down the match and find the best possible bet for this interesting AFCON tie.
Nigeria vs Mozambique Head to Head (H2H) stats
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Mozambique
2 : 3
Nigeria
Friendly International
-
Nigeria
4 : 2
Mozambique
African Nations Championship
-
Nigeria
3 : 0
Mozambique
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Nigeria
1 : 0
Mozambique
CAF World Cup Qualifiers
-
Mozambique
0 : 0
Nigeria
CAF World Cup Qualifiers
These teams have met a total of five times thus far, with Nigeria winning the last four games. The remaining game ended as a goalless draw, but that was a very long time ago, in 2009.
Regarding the number of goals, the last three games ended with three or more goals, and both teams scored in the past two games.
Nigeria team overview
Nigeria, three-time AFCON winner and runner-up in the previous tournament, have been one of the teams that pretty much always make deep runs, having three titles, five second-place finishes, and eight third-place finishes. However, on the global stage, their results have been underwhelming, as they failed to qualify for the last World Cup and the upcoming one in North America. The popular Super Eagles finished second in the Group and eventually got eliminated from the Playoffs by DR Congo.
In the ongoing AFCON, the Super Eagles did well, winning all three games. However, they were the favorites in each, and good results were expected. After securing the knockout phase, coach Éric Chelle spoke to the media. He was very pleased with the squad's performance and depth. However, despite all three wins, the coach stressed that they have areas where they need to improve. "The round of 16 is a lot of pressure, for sure, but I am fascinated by that. Since I arrived, I have had a lot of pressure, and I feel good," the coach added.
Last matches of Nigeria
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Uganda
1 : 3
Nigeria
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Nigeria
3 : 2
Tunisia
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Nigeria
2 : 1
Tanzania
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Egypt
2 : 1
Nigeria
Friendly International
-
Nigeria
3 : 4
Congo DR
CAF World Cup Qualifiers
Nigeria lineup
Goalkeeper
-
23
Stanley Nwabali
Defenders
-
2
Bright Osayi-Samuel
-
6
Semi Ajayi
-
3
Calvin Bassey
-
13
Bruno Onyemaechi
Midfielders
-
8
Raphael Onyedika
-
4
Wilfred Ndidi
-
17
Alex Iwobi
Forwards
-
22
Akor Adams
-
11
Ademola Lookman
-
9
Victor Osimhen
Mozambique team overview
Mozambique have never qualified for a World Cup and are appearing at only their sixth AFCON. They have never progressed beyond the group stage before, so reaching the knockout phase already represents a major success and they can be satisfied with how things are going so far. However, we cannot say they were too impressive in the group stage, and are a big underdog in this match for a reason.
After securing a spot in the knockout phase of AFCON, the coach was delighted. He highlighted the commitment and fighting spirit of his squad. The coach added that they are entering the knockout phase without pressure, stressing that they have to stay calm and confident ahead of the next challenge against Nigeria.
Last matches of Mozambique
-
Mozambique
1 : 2
Cameroon
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Gabon
2 : 3
Mozambique
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Ivory Coast
1 : 0
Mozambique
Africa Cup of Nations
-
Chad
2 : 2
Mozambique
Friendly International
-
Morocco
1 : 0
Mozambique
Friendly International
Mozambique lineup
Goalkeeper
-
1
Ernan Siluane
Defenders
-
23
Diogo Calila
-
17
Mexer
-
15
Reinildo Mandava
-
5
Bruno Langa
Midfielders
-
6
Manuel Kambala
-
16
Alfonso Amade
-
21
Ricardo Guimarães
Forwards
-
10
Geny Catamo
-
13
Stanley Ratifo
-
19
Witiness Quembo
Prediction
Nigeria went over 2.5 goals in all three games at AFCON. They were really good offensively, scoring eight goals - 2.7 per game. That was the most in the group stage by any team. However, looking at their offensive talent - Osimhen, Lookman, Iwobi, and a few others - that is hardly a surprise. Another good thing for this bet is the fact that they also failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive games across the competitions.
Meanwhile, Mozambique went over 2.5 goals in two out of the first three games. Looking further back, they went over the mentioned line in four of the past five matches across the competitions. Having watched their games, we believe they will have massive problems stopping Nigeria's offense, which could eventually lead this game to a high-scoring match.
Also, the last three h2h games ended with three or more goals and an average of 4.7 goals per game. Considering all the above, we believe that an over 2.5 goals bet is a very good option for the upcoming tie between Nigeria and Mozambique.
4 Reasons why we should see three or more goals
- Nigeria went over 2.5 goals in all three games at AFCON
- Nigeria scored eight goals in the first three games - the most in the tournament
- Mozambique went over 2.5 goals in two out of three AFCON games
- The last three h2h games ended with three or more goals
Main prediction Nigeria - Mozambique
Over 2.5 goals
