Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage in emphatic fashion, finishing top of their group with a perfect nine points after wins over Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. Their next opponents, Mozambique, progressed as one of the best third-placed teams, collecting three points from the group stage.
Mozambique secured qualification despite losing two of their three matches. A dramatic 3–2 win over Gabon in Group F proved decisive, while defeats to Cameroon and Ivory Coast still showcased their resilience and competitive edge.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Iwobi stressed that past results count for little at this stage of the tournament and warned against underestimating the Mozambicans as Nigeria pursue a fourth continental crown.
“We have got three wins in our three games in the group stage, but we can’t get complacent,” Iwobi said in an interview with Ademola Victor TV. “We are going to give 100 per cent and try to do our nation proud.”
The Fulham midfielder has been a central figure in Nigeria’s campaign in Morocco, controlling the tempo from midfield as the Super Eagles booked their place in the last 16. His standout performance came in the opening group match against Tanzania, where he registered two assists in the 2–1 victory—setting up Semi Ajayi’s opener and Ademola Lookman’s winner. That display made him only the second Nigerian player since 2010 to record two assists in a single AFCON match.
Iwobi followed up with another composed outing against Tunisia, completing 51 accurate passes from 59 attempts and contributing to the build-up play in Nigeria’s 3–2 win.
With 93 international appearances, the 29-year-old is the most capped player in the current Super Eagles squad and is featuring at his third Africa Cup of Nations. His experience is expected to be key as Nigeria navigate the knockout stages.
The Super Eagles are aiming to add to their AFCON titles from 1980, 1994 and 2013, with Monday’s clash against Mozambique representing the next hurdle in their bid to reclaim continental glory.