Man of the Match Odion Ighalo scored a brace for the Super Eagles to defeat Cameroon 3-2 and advance to the quarterfinal to the 2019 AFCON tonight in Alexandria.
Cameroon have thus failed to beat Nigeria in open play since 1989.
The Eagles will now wait for the winners of the Round of 16 clash between hosts Egypt and South Africa later tonight.
After an early exchange with hardly any clear chances at goal, Nigeria, who at the onset enjoyed more of the ball, took the lead in the 19th minute, when Odion Ighalo put away a low cross by Kenneth Omeruo.
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Cameroon chased the game after that goal and were rewarded in the 41st minute, when Angers striker Stephane Bahoken drew them level off a left cross delivered by the lively Christian Bassogog.
And two minutes later, the Indomitable Lions went ahead for the first time in this contest after Bahoken’s header off a long ball paved the way for Clinton Njie to go past Ola Aina before he coolly slotted past a stranded Daniel Akpeyi.
Ighalo got his second on the night in the 63rd minute after Ahmed Musa chested a long ball by Chidozie Awaziem right inside the box.
Alex Iwobi then made it 3-2 for Nigeria three minutes later when he was superbly set up by Ighalo to shoot past Onana in the Cameroon goal from inside the box.
Ighalo was denied a hat-trick by a reflex save by goalkeeper Onana when Chukwueze pass inside the box found him and he let fly at goal.
He then hit the post with a header in the 83rd minute just after Cameroon defender Yaya Banana had to put his body on the line to deny Ahmed Musa.
Cameroon piled on the pressure at the tail end of a thrilling encounter but could not take it beyond regulation time.
Super Eagles vs Cameroon
Daniel Akpeyi – Chidozie Awaziem, Ola Aina, William Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo – Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo – Ahmed Musa, Moses Simon (Samuel Chukwueze 60), Alex Iwobi (Leon Balogun 90) – Odion Ighalo (Paul Onuachu 85)
