NFF Revives Rabat Memory As Super Eagles Chase History Against Morocco

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has turned the clock back to one of the Super Eagles’ most stubborn nights on foreign soil as the team prepares for another meeting with Morocco in Rabat.

In a press release issued by the NFF Media Department on January 12, 2026, the federation recalled the only occasion Nigeria’s senior national team had faced Morocco in the Moroccan capital.

That encounter, played on Saturday, 28 August 1983, ended goalless before Nigeria edged the hosts 4-3 on penalties to seal qualification for the 14th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire.

The NFF noted that both teams had earlier shared a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Benin City. For the return fixture in Rabat, the head coach Adegboye Onigbinde made several changes to his line-up.

Goalkeeper Peter Rufai replaced Wilfred Agbonavbare, while Kingsley Paul, Amos Edoseghe, Anthony Edward, Wole Odegbami and Sunday Daniel were introduced into the team.

Morocco, under Brazilian coach José Mehdi Faria, kept faith with their regulars. Goalkeeper Badou Ezzaki led a side that included Mustapha El Haddaoui, Abdelaziz Bouderbala, Mohamed Timoumi, Abdelmajid Lamriss, Mustapha El Biyaz, Noureddine Bouyahyaoui and Khaled Labied.

Despite the quality on both sides, the match ended without a goal, forcing a penalty shootout which Nigeria won to book their place at the finals. The Super Eagles would later finish as runners-up in Côte d’Ivoire.

As the current Super Eagles step out at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Wednesday, the federation reminded fans that Nigeria have never lost a senior international match to the Atlas Lions in Rabat.

The press release also pointed to significant individual milestones that could be reached in the fixture. According to the NFF, two goals against Morocco would see Victor Osimhen draw level with Nigeria’s all-time leading scorer, the late Rashidi Yekini.

Osimhen currently has 35 goals from 51 senior appearances, while Yekini scored 37 times in 58 matches for the national team.

At 27, Osimhen is regarded as being at the peak of his career and is expected to go on and surpass a record that has stood for decades.

The federation recalled that the striker first captured global attention in 2015, when he finished as top scorer with 10 goals and second most valuable player at the FIFA U17 World Cup, a tournament Nigeria won.

The NFF added that Osimhen will have support in attack from Alex Iwobi, Akor Adams and Ademola Lookman as he chases a historic moment.

Iwobi himself is closing in on a personal landmark. The midfielder is set to earn his 96th cap for Nigeria, bringing him closer to the 100-cap mark achieved by former captain Joseph Yobo and former goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who both finished on 101 appearances. Ahmed Musa remains Nigeria’s most capped international with 111 caps.