Legendary Nigeria midfielder Sunday Oliseh has hailed Super Eagles defender Bruno Onyeamachi for his impressive display against Morocco’s star winger Brahim Diaz in the AFCON 2025 semifinal encounter in Rabat on Wednesday.
Onyeamachi was massive for the Super Eagles as he managed to neutralise most threats by Diaz.
The Real Madrid Star had gone into the last four clash by scoring in every game Morocco played in the tournament.
He was aiming to become the first player in history to score in six consecutive games at the AFCON.
Also Read: AFCON 2025: Osayi-Samuel Rues Super Eagles’ Loss To Morocco, Criticises Officiating
But Onyemaechi kept the winger quiet throughout regulation time before Diaz was substituted for Ilias Akhomach in extra-time.
Commenting on Onyemaechi’s performance, Oliseh praised his effort, stating that he successfully matched every threat posed by Diaz.
“Bruno seems to be doing a job on Brahim Diaz. Seems like this is the first time someone has matched Diaz.” Oliseh said on SuperSport.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will now head to Casablanca where they will take on Egypt in the third-placed play-off.
The Egyptians lost 1-0 to Senegal thanks to a Sadio Mane second half strike.
By James Agberebi in Rabat
Photo by Ganiyu Yusuf in Rabat
5 Comments
Nigeria Vs Morocco 0:0 (2:4 penalties) Retrospective Reflection
After Nigeria’s 2-4 penalty loss to Morocco in this week’s Afcon semi final encounter, a lot of observers have observed that “the better side won”.
Never a truer word spoken as, indeed, Morocco , the hosts, were the better side on the night. Better at creating chances, better at limiting Nigeria’s chances, much better at taking their chances in penalties.
The Super Eagles didn’t disappoint though. Far from it. They made the game a fascinating spectacle, a semi final to remember in how a number of our players stood up to be counted.
Count Nwabali whom many had grave concerns about, who flipped the script to produce excellent saves in open play and a decent penalty save which gave birth to hope that was swiftly aborted with poor returns from our penalty takers.
Count Bassey whose single-minded devotion to his craft made a mundane center defensive role look like a ballet.
Count Bruno Onyemaechi who Oliseh hailed above for his focused performance that helped prevent 2 goals with 2 perfect headed clearances.
Count the the entire Super Eagles team who, once again, faced up against an opposition playing better than them, dragged the match all the way to the trenches and mud-house of penalty kicks – Chelle’s Super Eagles will always fight to the last man!
I am happy, I am unhappy. Happy that, once again we are among the top-dogs of African football but unhappy that we came short of last tournament’s accomplishment.
Chelle started with his signature 4-3-1-2 arrangement which initially rattled the Moroccans but the North Africans grew to suppress this formation effectively. Our strikers were tightly marked, our passing lanes cut off, and our full backs put under pressure, incessantly.
Chelle then changed tack, removing Onyedika for Simon to now make it a 4-2-3-1, more so after Dele Bashiru came in to play right attacking midfield. But things didn’t improve.
Morocco’s low block pressing meant, all night, the passing lanes that Iwobi found to punish previous opponents were effectively blocked with Moroccan traffic. Hence, the passing routines we had used to blow previous opponent defences out of the water were nowhere in sight.
What happens when rehearsed routine that have worked previously become a broken record because of how tight, compact and focused your opposition is? This riddle, Chelle was unable to solve on perhaps the biggest night of his managerial career.
Na why nobody dey vex for Bruno miss.
4 semi finalists. 4 African coaches. Are the foreign coaches losing face on the continent?
Make we pour our anger on Egypt but pairings somehow have not been “fair” to Morocco.
Played Cameroon.
Played Nigeria.
To play Senegal.
Can they take out 3 West African giants at a go? That would be ….
They will, Morocco will rather die than let Senegal win the afcon.
They won’t repeat this mistake of afcon. Go and write this thing @sly.
Check history of North Africans they dont lose final easily.
Well said@Wike, you are well on point.
The same thing for Nigeria.
Played Tunisia
Played Algeria.
Played Morocco.
To play Egypt.
CAF should “rethink” the pairings or is it that West Africa who by the way won the last 2 editions have too much fire power on the continent?