The Super Eagles are soaring again! Fallen giants Nigeria can become Africa's dominant force once more as Victor Osmihen & co. close in on AFCON glory

It's certainly not been plain sailing for Nigeria to get to this point. In fact, just three months ago, Peseiro's side opened their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign with a pair of hugely disappointing 1-1 draws against minnows Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Those results piled more pressure on former Porto and Sporting CP boss Peseiro, who had only just survived a public summer vote organised by the head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, to decide whether he should remain at the helm.

The Portuguese has been regularly criticised for the team's lethargic performances and his selections, while it has also been reported that the NFF previously struggled to meet his $70,000-per-month wages. However, former Nigeria goalkeeper Peter Rufai came out to defend Peseiro after the Zimbabwe draw, and urged fans not to write off a promising young squad.

"They can surprise us. Football is a crazy sport. I believe they can still turn things around and make Nigerians happy," Rufai told BBC Sport Africa. Nigeria went on to lose 2-0 to Guinea in their only warm-up fixture before the 2023 AFCON kicked-off, but Peseiro took a similarly defiant tone.

“I believe in the players. Each team has more quality in certain positions,” Peseiro told reporters. “My job is to find the balance”

The Peseiro-Out brigade were given more cause to complain when Nigeria slumped to a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their AFCON group-stage opener. A major upset was even on the cards at one point, with Iban Salvador breaking the deadlock in the 36th minute to stun the Super Eagles, but Osimhen provided an instant response when nodding home an equaliser straight from the restart.

On another day, Nigeria probably would have ran out 5-0 winners. They dominated the game and had 19 shots on goal, seven of which were on target, with Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Jesus Owono producing a Man-of-the-Match display between the sticks.

The Super Eagles followed up that result by beating tournament hosts Ivory Coast 1-0 and Guinea-Bissau by the same scoreline, booking a spot in the round of 16 in the process. Peseiro's side once again struggled for cutting edge in the final third, and the manager laid down the law after the game. "We know our responsibility, and that must show on the field of play with better performance," Peseiro told reporters.

That message did the trick as Nigeria truly announced themselves as potential AFCON winners with an impressive 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the last 16. Ademola Lookman scored twice to tame the Indomitable Lions, who failed to post a single shot on target as the Super Eagles once again showed their defensive prowess.

It was a similar story in their quarter-final tie against Angola, with Lookman rising to the occasion once more with a 41st-minute winner, and Nigeria are hot favourites to reach the final at the expense of surprise package South Africa in semis.

From a quick look at the statistics, you'd be forgiven for thinking Osimhen has had a poor tournament so far. The Napoli superstar has now gone four games without scoring, while failing to convert a number of clear chances, but his relentless pressing has set the tone for Nigeria.

Osimhen is doing the dirty work for his team and letting others take the spotlight, and his efforts are not going unappreciated. "He didn't score, but he had a fantastic game. It is not easy to stop that guy," Peseiro said of the 25-year-old's contribution after the last-16 win over Cameroon. "Ask the opposition defenders how much they suffered. Nobody can win a match alone, everybody has to play, but he is a good example."

Nigeria's defence begins with Osimhen, and his quality on the ball helps to bring others into play. Napoli's 2022-23 Capocannoniere winner is more than just a goalscorer; he's a complete all-round striker who works himself into the ground for the collective cause.

It's no surprise that Osimhen is reportedly on the radar of Premier League giants like Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, because his style is ideally suited to the frenetic pace of English football. He may not have hit top gear at AFCON quite yet, but with the former Lille star serving as the figurehead in this Nigeria side, they will take some stopping.

Some four years ago, Wandsworth-born Lookman was being touted for a future role in Gareth Southgate's England set-up, having earned caps for the Three Lions at both Under-19 to Under-21 level, and fans across Europe were paying attention to his displays for Julian Nagelsmann's exciting RB Leipzig team.

However, the explosive winger's stock began to drop when he returned to the Premier League on loan at Fulham, as he struggled to deliver the goods on a consistent basis in a more competitive setting. Lookman had the same problem during another temporary spell away from Leipzig at Leicester City, by which time his dreams of an England call-up had long faded away.

He saw a request to represent the Nigeria national team granted in February 2022, and six months later, he secured a permanent transfer to Serie A outfit Atalanta, where he has since been able to unlock his full potential. Lookman has emerged as one of the best wingers in Italian football over the past two seasons, recording 29 goal contributions in 49 appearances, and he's carried that form into the AFCON.

That's despite being acutely aware of the weight of expectation on Nigeria's shoulders, as he said after his latest match-winning display against Angola: "I feel the pressure wearing this shirt," the 26-year-old told reporters. "Every single time I put on the jersey, that's just what comes with being a Nigerian and playing for the country, so I'm proud to do that, to take that responsibility."

Osimhen may be Nigeria's talisman, but Lookman is his right-hand man, and if he can keep it up for two more games, there is every chance a host of Premier League sides will be eager to give him another shot at the big time in the summer.

One of Nigeria's biggest issues in recent years has been trying to source goalkeepers outside of the domestic leagues in Africa. More concerns were raised when Peseiro trusted No.1 duties to Stanley Nwabali, who currently plays for mid-table South African outfit Chippa United.

The 27-year-old was initially singled out as Nigeria's weak link for the AFCON, but has silenced all his doubters with a string of assured displays. After the last-eight win over Angola, Nwabali became the first Super Eagles goalkeeper to record four consecutive clean sheets at a major tournament since 1990, and is deservedly keeping Omonia shot-stopper Francis Uzoho out of the team.

Nwabali has shown excellent positional sense throughout the tournament and his distribution has been essential in Nigeria's build-up play, which is perhaps not so much of a surprise given that fact he idolises a certain Bayern Munich legend.

"I don't admire any other person apart from Manuel Neuer," he said last month. "I like Manuel Neuer. He has been my role model. I like how he plays, his confidence, and his leadership. He is the only one I look up to."

Of course, it's helped Nwabali to have a rock solid five-man defence sitting in front of him, marshalled by PAOK enforcer William Troost-Ekong. The 30-year-old has been more of a general for Nigeria at the AFCON than merely a captain, directing his team-mates and leading by example with his aggressive style of play.

"I believe in the mentality of this team, the fighting spirit and that's the thing that's going to make us champions," Troost-Ekong said after the quarter-finals. "Our confidence is growing game by game."

West Brom midfielder Semi Ajayi, who spent time at Arsenal earlier in his career, has also been a vital presence in a holding role, but he feels everyone in the team deserves equal credit for the Super Eagles' run.

"I think the beauty of this team is that we've got so many weapons," beamed the 30-year-old. "You can't really put all your attention on one person because we have so many people who are capable of creating and scoring. We're not done yet. We came here to win, so full focus goes towards Wednesday now."

It's clear that Peseiro's long-term vision is starting to take shape, with the whole squad now pulling in the same direction after coming through a testing period.

Nigeria's resurgence is made all the more remarkable when taking into account the high-profile players who were not able to join the squad in the Ivory Coast.

Much of the early pre-tournament buzz centred around Vitor Boniface, who has been one of the standout performers for Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen during their meteoric ascent to the top of the Bundesliga. The 23-year-old scored 16 goals and laid on another eight in 23 appearances for Leverkusen in the first half of the season, only to be ruled out of the AFCON after picking up a serious injury in Nigeria's training camp. Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi also suffered a knock on the eve of the tournament, with Royal Antwerp's Alhassan Yusuf drafted in as his replacement.

Former Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi was a major loss for the Super Eagles, too, having been forced to undergo surgery on a groin issue back in November. Awoniyi enjoyed a superb start to the 2023-24 Premier League season at Nottingham Forest with five goals in 12 games, and it would have been fascinating to see him linking up with Osimhen in the final third.

The good news for Nigeria fans is, all three players should be ready to return when 2026 World Cup qualifying resumes in June. Peseiro is blessed with attacking riches, which will give him a selection dilemma, but no other African side can match the Super Eagles for strength in depth right now.

Winning a fourth AFCON title would serve as confirmation of Nigeria's return to the elite level, and provide the injection of confidence needed to make sure they book a ticket to Canada, Mexico and the United States in two years' time. Osimhen and co. will be in their prime by then, and have the tools to make more history.