AFCON Quarter-Final: Nigeria battles to conquer Angola
Nigeria is set to face Angola at the Felix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan today as they continue their quest for their fourth Africa Cup of Nations title.
After emerging as the top-ranked country following the exit of some of the continent’s big guns, the Super Eagles are now the favorites to win the 34th edition of the AFCON in Ivory Coast.
READ ALSO: AFCON: Super Eagles better than their opponents, says Peseiro
Nigeria is playing in its 11th quarter-final match at the AFCON, which is the most by any team at this stage of the competition (alongside Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia).
The Eagles beat Cameroon 2-0 in the round of 16 to reach the last eight, while Angola thrashed Namibia 3-0 earlier at the Stade de la Paix in front of 28,663 fans.
Jose Peseiro’s men are aiming for a fourth continental showpiece win, while it is the third time that the Black Antelopes have made it to this stage of the AFCON.
Nigeria has won their last three AFCON games without conceding, but they’ve never won four consecutive matches in a single edition without conceding a goal. Their defense will be tested by the Angolans, who have played one of the most beautiful games at the tournament, and the three-time champions will be wary of the competition’s second-top striker, Gelson Dala.
In 43 years, both sides have met 10 times, with Nigeria winning three, losing two, and drawing five.
“We are looking forward to the game against Angola. Everyone has rested well after the game against Cameroon. We will be ready, we will prepare very well, and I am optimistic we will get a good result,” said Peseiro.
Speaking regarding the quarter-final clash, Kenneth Omeruo said the Eagles were focused and would let their performance on the pitch do the talking.
“We have absolutely no need to engage in back-and-forth banter with any team. The Super Eagles are in Ivory Coast for serious business. We have not played Angola for a long time, but I remember we played them in 2012 in a friendly, and it ended in a draw,” Omeruo added.
“There is no possibility of Friday’s match ending in a draw; a winner must emerge. So much talk has been going on. Our collective resolve is to show our strength on the pitch. The Nigerian spirit trumps all.”
The winners of this clash will advance to the semi-finals where they will face the winners between South Africa and Cape Verde.
Comments are closed.