Izuchukwu OkosiTraditional Africa Cup of Nations foes, Nigeria and Cameroon, will square off in the round of 16 stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire following the latter’s dramatic 3-2 win over The Gambia in their last group game in Tuesday evening, reports Prime Business Africa.
Nigeria had beaten Guinea Bissau 1-0 on Monday to advance to the knockout stages and were expected to play either the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon or Sylla Stars of Guinea on Saturday evening.
The Eagles finished second in Group A with 7 points and +3 goal advantage while Equatorial Guinea topped the log with same 7 points but with a +9 goal differential.
Cote d’Ivoire with 3 points faced an anxious wait to find out if they will make it to the round of 16 as one of the four teams to end the group campaign as one of the four best losers.
Guinea played against eventual group leader and current AFCON champions Senegal and lost 2-0 while the Cameroonians edged past The Gambia 3-2, coming from 2-1 down to claim the vital three points.
Toko Ekambi put Cameroon ahead in the 56th minute but Ablie Jallow made it 1-1 with 18 minutes left on the clock.
Ebrima Colley scored the next goal of the contest and for the Gambians in the 85th minute and at that point, it was expected that the Guinean, who had hitherto not scored a goal at the tournament was emerging victorious.
James Gomez however conceded an own goal to restore parity in the 87th minute while Christopher Wooh got Cameroon’s third goal and crucial in the 91st minute as he headed home from a corner kick.
The last time both rivals clashed was also in the round of 16 of the AFCON in 2019 when a brace fe Odion Ighalo and a solitary goal from Alex Iwobi helped Nigeria to a 3-2 win.
