Nigeria advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a convincing 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the last 16 match held in Abidjan. Ademola Lookman was the hero for the Super Eagles, scoring both goals to secure the win.
The breakthrough came nine minutes before halftime when Victor Osimhen capitalized on a mistake by Oumar Gonzalez, setting up Lookman to slot the ball past goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa. Lookman sealed the win in the 90th minute with a well-executed volley from Calvin Bassey’s cutback, sending Nigeria into jubilation.
Cameroon, despite bringing on Vincent Aboubakar in the late stages, failed to produce a shot on target. The disappointing performance adds pressure on coach Rigobert Song, who faced criticism for Cameroon’s early exit from the 2022 World Cup.
Nigeria’s quarter-final opponent will be Angola, who impressed with a 3-0 victory over Namibia. The Super Eagles’ victory over Cameroon was well-deserved, marking their second triumph at this stage of the tournament in the past three editions.
As Cameroon’s coach Rigobert Song faces scrutiny, the decision on his future lies with the Cameroon football federation president, Samuel Eto’o. The match took place in the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, where Cameroon secured their first of five continental crowns by defeating Nigeria in the 1984 final. Despite Cameroon’s historical success against West Africa rivals, the Super Eagles proved dominant in this encounter, securing a significant win.
