By the BBC's Eniwoke Ibagere in Lagos

Nigeria have claimed theirs is the best soccer team on the continent after qualifying for the African Nations Cup quarter-finals.

"We have the best quality individual players and overall the best team in Africa," said striker Nwankwo Kanu, the 1999 African Footballer of the Year who plays for English Premiership side Arsenal.

Kanu's view was echoed by midfielder Mutiu Adepoju: "We have the commitment and passion to play, we have the skills and can achieve our target once we set out to do it."

Morocco's 2-0 defeat by Nigeria on Thursday was their first loss since September 1998, when they were hammered 4-0 by Belgium in a friendly.

Nigeria's assistant coach Stephen Keshi said he told his team before the match that beating Morocco was the only way they could be highly regarded.

"If you check the Fifa monthly ranking, the Moroccans are rated higher than we are. I told the boys they have to beat Morocco to make nonsense of the ratings," he said.

In December, before the Nations Cup, Morocco were ranked 24th while the Nigerians were 82nd.

Many of the 45,000 local fans expressed similar views. Wearing Nigeria's colours of green and white, they cheered all through the Morocco game and chanted: "No more fight" after the match.

The chant of approval was to atone for the anger the fans unleashed on the team after their 0-0 draw with Congo last week.

"Any day, any time, Nigeria's Super Eagles are the number one team not only in Africa but in the world," said ecstatic soccer fan Ike Amure.

"Did you see that beauty of a goal scored by Finidi George?" a dancing Uzor Amadi asked rhetorically, carrying a mock coffin of the Moroccan team on his head hours after the game.

"Only the likes of Pele and Maradona can score such goals," said Inibo Ojoke, another fan standing near him and dressed like an Eagle, in reference to George's thunderbolt strike with the left foot from 25 metres.

Team captain Sunday Oliseh, who missed the game due to malaria, said: "Give the Super Eagles (coach) Bonfrere and the right conditions and you'll see us soar above any team."

Dutchman Jo Bonfrere has been a folk hero in Nigeria since 1996 when he coached its under-23 side to gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Bonfrere, who parted company with the Nigerians over pay, but was re-engaged last December, said: "Three more matches and the African Cup is ours. I've always believed this team is among the best in the world."

So many players

Morocco's French coach Henri Michel agreed the Nigerian side were "about the best" in the tournament and said they were the only ones capable of breaking his unbeaten run.

"I still can't believe the Nigerians have cracked our record, but I've always thought they could do it," said Michel, who trained France and Cameroon at the 1986 and 1994 World Cup finals respectively.

He took charge of the Moroccans for the 1998 World Cup.

Bonfrere said: "I have so many players that can fit into my plans. I dropped Victor Ikpeba in the attack, changed tactics and the boys dove-tailed into them perfectly."

The Dutchman said he dropped first-choice striker Ikpeba because of his criticisms of the decision to substitute him in the 0-0 drawn game against Congo.

Nigeria play Senegal in their quarter-final on Monday