The Super Eagles of Nigeria have advanced to the semi-final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after clinching a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Angola at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Friday.
A first-half strike from Ademola Lookman proved to be the decisive moment as Nigeria edged past a resilient Angolan side to secure their spot in the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.
The Super Eagles, led by head coach Jose Peseiro, displayed a disciplined performance throughout the match, maintaining their compact 3-4-3 formation to thwart the Angolan attacks and capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Despite an injury concern surrounding goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, the shot-stopper passed a late fitness test and made crucial saves to deny Angola’s attempts on goal, ensuring Nigeria remained in contention.
It was Ademola Lookman who broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, latching onto a precise cutback from Moses Simon to unleash a powerful shot past the Angolan goalkeeper, Signori Antonio, into the roof of the net.
The goal marked Lookman’s third goal of the tournament, highlighting his importance to the Super Eagles’ attacking prowess.
Although Nigeria thought they had doubled their lead in the second half through Victor Osimhen’s header, the goal was ultimately ruled out for offside following a VAR review, maintaining the narrow margin of victory for the Super Eagles.
With this crucial win, Nigeria advances to the semi-finals of the AFCON and awaits the outcome of the match between South Africa and Cape Verde to determine their next opponent in the quest for continental glory.
