Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovi? has stated that his team’s full attention is now on overcoming Nigeria as they target a place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, according to reports gathered by Nigeriasoccernet.com.
The Desert Foxes are set to face the Super Eagles in one of the standout quarter-final fixtures of the tournament, scheduled for January 10 in Marrakech.
Petkovi?’s comments followed Algeria’s hard-fought Round of 16 victory over DR Congo in Rabat, where the North Africans needed extra time to secure qualification. The tightly contested encounter was settled late on by substitute Adil Boulbina, whose moment of brilliance proved decisive in a game where chances were few and margins extremely fine.
Reflecting on the performance, the Algerian coach expressed satisfaction with his team’s overall display and discipline. “I believe we deserved to win based on what our players delivered, and I thank them for that,” Petkovi? said. “We controlled two-thirds of the match and played good football, even though we faced some challenges. We played well as a group, dominated the match, overcame difficulties, scored a goal and managed to win and qualify. We handled the match professionally. Qualifying was important, and now we will think about the next match against Nigeria.”
With the game seemingly heading towards penalties, Boulbina emerged as the hero in the 118th minute, just five minutes after coming off the bench. Cutting in from the right, he unleashed a powerful strike that beat goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau, who had produced a series of crucial saves to keep DR Congo in the contest for long periods.
The goal finally separated two evenly matched sides that had largely cancelled each other out during regulation time and the early stages of extra time. Now through to the quarter-finals, Algeria will turn their focus to Nigeria, as Petkovi? and his players prepare for a high-stakes clash against the Super Eagles with a semi-final place on the line.
Oluwayemi Omolagba