The Super Eagles tonight edged past a spirited Angola 1-0 to stay on course for a fourth AFCON title.
The Super Eagles 🦅 of Nigeria 1-0 up against Angola.
— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) February 2, 2024
Lookman having a great tournament here in Ivory Coast. pic.twitter.com/QazpBRq1vL
Nigeria will now await the winners of the quarterfinal between South Africa and Cape Verde in the semifinal Wednesday in Bouake.
Today, Ademola Lookman put Nigeria ahead in the 41st minute, when he finished off a great run and pass by Man of the Match Moses Simon.
It was his third goal in the AFCON knockout rounds and puts him in a great company of Rashidi Yekini, ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha and Odion Ighalo.
But this was only possible by the big save pulled off by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali as early as the fourth minute.
The Chippa United goalkeeper was alert to turn away a shot for a corner from point-blank range.
Both teams went at each other from the first whistle to produce an absorbing first half.
In the second half, Angola as expected pushed for an equaliser and in the closing minutes camped in Nigeria’s half of the pitch.
In between, the Angolan pressure, Osimhen headed home in the 75th minute, but his effort was cancelled by VAR after he was found to have been marginally offside.
The Napoli striker was moments later denied by a desperate block of an Angolan defender after substitute Alhassan Yusuf threaded through a defence-splitting pass with his first touch of the ball.
In the 89th minute, Nwabali pushed away another dangerous shot by Angola as they pressed for an equaliser that never came.
Super Eagles Starting XI vs Angola (3-4-3)
Stanley Nwabali – Calvin Bassey, William Ekong (Captain), Semi Ajayi – Zaidu Sanusi, Ola Aina, Frank Onyeka (Joe Aribo 87), Alex Iwobi (Alhassan Yusuf 80) – Ademola Lookman (Kenneth Omeruo 90), Victor Osimhen (Paul Onuachu 90), Moses Simon
