Bright Osayi-Samuel expressed his delight after Nigeria booked their spot in the semi-final stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-0 win over Algeria on Saturday.

The Birmingham City player praised the team’s performance and shared his personal motivation ahead of the match.

“Firstly, I pray to God for him to give me the energy to showcase my ability,” Osayi-Samuel said, highlighting the role of faith in his preparation.

Reflecting on his personal drive, he added, “Like I said earlier, I think a lot of people sleep on me, which it’s okay, but you know, it’s games like this where I have to show people how good I can be.”

Osayi-Samuel praised the collective performance of the Super Eagles, while acknowledging that the competition continues.

“Today I played well, the team played well, but of course, this is not the final. You have Morocco now, so it will be another opportunity for me to showcase my ability. And yeah, I really enjoyed today,” he said.

When asked about what inspired the team performance, he explained the team’s approach on the field.

“I think just the way we were playing, I felt like Algeria were scared of us, and we obviously knew that and we took advantage of that. Today was perfect. They didn’t have one shot on target, a team that scores a lot of goals, you know, so clean sheet and two goals. Perfect night.”

Osayi-Samuel also reflected on Nigeria’s previous encounters with Algeria, referring to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations free-kick by Riyad Mahrez. “Of course. You know, it was painful. I wasn’t there, but I watched the game. You know, for us, scored that free kick. It was really, really painful. But today was a completely different game. You know, dominated the game. Like I said, they didn’t have a shot on target. And yeah, really enjoyed it today,” he said.

Looking ahead to the semi-final clash with Morocco, Osayi-Samuel emphasized the team’s confidence and focus.

“Yeah, I think today was a statement win. Big big statement win. And I think Morocco will be thinking twice against us. But, you know, they have their strengths, too. They have a player that’s been scoring in each game. You know, they have great players, but we just focus on ourselves, you know, keep believing in ourselves, keep playing it how we’re playing, and I’m sure we’ll beat Morocco,” he said.

Nigeria will face host nation Morocco in the semi-finals, seeking to extend their impressive run and contend for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14.

Wale Adejumo