Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will play the Palancras Negras of Angola in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday, February 3, after seeing off old foe, Cameroon 2-0 in the round of 16 blockbuster on Saturday evening, reports Prime Business Africa.
The scoreline means the Eagles have not conceded in 177 minutes of football thus far in the tournament.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Super Eagles began the first half on high octane and got a ‘goal’ through Semi Ajayi who prodded the ball home after three brave goal-saving attempts by goalkeeper Fabrice Oanda.
However the goal was disallowed by the VAR as the duo of Victor Osimhen and Alex Iwobi were on offside positions.
The Indomitable Lions who were defensive in their approach prior to the disallowed goal became adventurous afterwards which culminated in number of attacking forays by the Eagles.
Man-of-the-Match Ademola Lookman got the three-time African champions in the 36th as he was teed up by Osimhen who waltzed past two markers to find the Atalanta forward.
Ola Aina tried to find Lookman in the 50th minute but the weight of the ball was a tad too long to be chased down by the winger.
Soon afterwards, Frank Onyeka intercepted the ball, embarked on a mazy run and was brought down at the edge of the box but Ademola Lookman’s resultant free-kick was way off target.
On the hour mark, Osimhen pounced on the ball after he was released by Iwobi.
In the 72nd minute Nwabali was decisive in punching the ball away from danger from an in-swinging cross but he ended up getting injured to his left ankle after a tackle from a Cameroonian and was replaced by Francis Uzoho.
Ola Aina’s shot was blocked by Nouhou Tolo after an intricate pass by Osimhen and Lookman set him up nicely for an attempt at goal.
The goal did arrive two minutes to full time when Lookman poked home the ball after Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey combined beautifully to set him up.
John-Charles Casteleletto cleared the ball intently as Osimhen attacked the ball off the cross by Aina with less than five minutes left on the clock.
Osimhen was substituted off for Paul Onuachu late on while Samuel Osayi-Samuel came on for Ola Aina.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
