Headline: NO REVENGE! Moses Simon Dismisses North African “Jinx” Ahead of Algeria Blockbuster

MARRAKECH, Morocco — As the Super Eagles prepare to face the Desert Foxes on Saturday, January 10, the shadow of the 2019 semi-final defeat looms large for fans. However, for Moses Simon—one of the few survivors of that night in Cairo—the past is irrelevant.³

Mental Strength Over History

Simon was clear that the Super Eagles have moved beyond the pain of the 2-1 loss in 2019, which was decided by a last-gasp Riyad Mahrez free-kick.

“We don’t think about revenge at all. We just want to play,” Simon told reporters. “We are a group that works every day to move forward and achieve victory because of our mindset.”

Debunking the “North African Danger”

There has long been a perception that Nigeria struggles against the tactical discipline and “dark arts” often attributed to North African teams. Simon countered this by pointing to the Super Eagles’ dominant form in the current tournament.

• The Evidence: Simon cited Nigeria’s 3-2 victory over Tunisia in the group stage (December 27, 2025) as proof that the Eagles are more than a match for the region’s giants.⁴
• The Quote: “I can’t say the North African teams are the ones giving us problems because we, too, give them problems. We just beat them.”
• The New Reality: He added that the gap between “big” and “small” teams in Africa has vanished.⁵ “Every team is really strong in this competition… there are no small teams and no big teams anymore.”

Tournament Form: Nigeria vs. Algeria

Match Details

• Fixture: Nigeria vs. Algeria
• Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
• Time: 5:00 PM (WAT) / 19:00 (GMT)
• Venue: Grand Stade de Marrakech, Morocco⁶