By the BBC's Eniwoke Ibagere in Lagos

Nigeria, lifted by the 2-0 victory over Morocco to reach the African Cup of Nations quarter-finals, are claiming they have the best soccer team on the continent.

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

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."

Climbing the rankings

Morocco's defeat by Nigeria on Thursday was their first loss since September 1998.

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

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

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

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

Eagles soaring

Their chants of approval was in stark contrast to the anger unleashed by fans on the team after Nigeria's tame 0-0 draw against 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 the 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 struck 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."

Supercoach

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

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

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, and was in charge of the Moroccans at the 1998 World Cup tournament.

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 response after being substituted in the 0-0 drawn game against Congo.

Nigeria play Senegal in their quarter-final on Monday.