The Super Eagles of Nigeria have advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
On Saturday, Nigeria defeated Cameroon 2-0 at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, advancing to the next round of the competition.
Ademola Lookman scored twice as the Eagles dominated the Indomitable Lions in the nerve-racking game.
Nigeria qualified for the second round by finishing second in Group A, trailing Equatorial Guinea. The club had not scored more than one goal in their previous six games.
But against the Lions, the Eagles broke the curse with more confidence and better performance.
For the second game in a row, Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro used a 3-4-3 system with Stanley Nwabali in goal behind the defensive trio of Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, and Calvin Bassey, and Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi as wingbacks on either flank.
Alex Iwobi began in midfield alongside Frank Onyeka. Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen commanded the front lines.
The Eagles thought they had seized the lead in the 12th minute when Ajayi scored off a rebound following Fabrice Ondoa’s spilling. However, after a VAR review, the goal was ruled out for offside.
However, they could not be denied again in the 36th minute. Osimhen wrestled the ball from Oumar Gonzalez before setting up Lookman, whose shot went under Fabrice Ondoa.
Lookman then scored again late in the second half. He poked the ball past Ondoa’s limbs from close range following a long bust forward by Bassey.
In the end, it appeared to be a pyrrhic triumph for Nigeria, when Nwabali was stretchered off following a collision with Georges-Kévin N’Koudou. The goalkeeper was replaced by Francis Uzoho.
The quarter-final match between the Super Eagles and Angola is scheduled for February 2.