Nantes defender Chidozie Awaziem has singled out Brahim Díaz as the most formidable obstacle for the Super Eagles as they prepare for tonight’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final. The host nation, Morocco, welcomes Nigeria to the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat this Wednesday, with the Real Madrid star entering the fixture in unprecedented form. Díaz currently dictates the tournament’s scoring charts with five goals, having managed to find the net in every single match of the campaign thus far.
Awaziem emphasized that the Nigerian backline must maintain a constant watch on the 26-year-old playmaker to neutralize his clinical finishing and technical agility. The Super Eagles coaching staff has reportedly devised a specific tactical plan to limit the space available to Díaz, who recently matched a 58-year-old AFCON scoring record. If the Moroccan winger scores again tonight, he will become the first player in history to register a goal in six consecutive matches within a single tournament.
“We know Brahim Diaz is a dangerous player. We need to watch him carefully,” he warned. “We’ll try not to let him play the way he likes because we know how dangerous he can be.”
Despite the looming threat, Awaziem expressed absolute confidence in the squad’s ability to suppress elite talent, citing Nigeria’s successful defensive efforts against high-profile attackers earlier in the competition. The Super Eagles recently secured their place in the final four with a dominant 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria, a result that boosted morale within the camp. Awaziem believes the collective mental preparation of the Nigerian squad will prove decisive when they face the hostile home crowd in Rabat.
“We have already faced some really big players and we managed to stop them before. I think the players all know what they need to do,” the center-back noted.
The stakes remain immense for both footballing powerhouses as the 9:00 PM kickoff approaches. A victory for Nigeria would secure their second consecutive appearance in an AFCON final, where they would meet either Senegal or Egypt. Meanwhile, the Atlas Lions aim to leverage Díaz’s historic scoring run to end a nearly 50-year title drought. With both teams featuring world-class offensive stars, the encounter promises to be the most tactical and high-intensity battle of the Moroccan tournament.
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