Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez is confident that his side's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal match against Nigeria will pose a different challenge from their round of 16 encounter with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Desert Warriors secured their place in the last eight following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Leopards, setting up a mouth-watering showdown with the Super Eagles.
Nigeria and Algeria remain the only two teams to have won every match they have played at the tournament in Morocco, each recording four consecutive victories.
While the Super Eagles boast the most potent attack, having scored 12 goals, the Greens have been equally impressive at the other end of the pitch, conceding just once to claim the competition’s best defensive record.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, Mahrez pointed to the contrasting styles of the two sides, suggesting that Nigeria’s approach could make for a more open and expansive contest compared to Algeria’s previous outing.
The former Leicester City and Manchester City winger expects a high-quality battle between two of Africa’s most consistent and in-form teams.
"In our next match, we will face a different opponent compared to DR Congo,” Mahrez told reporters.
"We expect the next match to be more open, which will give us more space to showcase our abilities, and we must be fully prepared."
Nigeria and Algeria will do battle at the at the Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh on Saturday, with the winner facing either Morocco or Cameroon in the semifinals.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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