Ademola Lookman scored both goals as Nigeria defeated old rivals Cameroon 2-0 on Saturday to march on to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Nigerians had an early Semi Ajayi goal disallowed following a VAR review in this last-16 clash before the constant pressing and bullying of the Cameroon defence by Victor Osimhen led to Lookman finding the net in the 36th minute.

A team that has become impermeable at this AFCON then kept the Indomitable Lions at bay before Lookman made sure of the victory in the 90th minute in front of 22,085 fans at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

They will now return to the same venue for a last-eight meeting next Friday with Angola, who earlier defeated Namibia 3-0.

With the fearsome Osimhen leading from the front, the Super Eagles are clearly a serious threat to reigning champions Senegal as they chase a fourth continental crown.

This fixture is a Cup of Nations classic, with the first three of Cameroon’s five titles coming after wins over Nigeria in the final.

The very first, when a side led by Roger Milla came from behind to win 3-1 in 1984, was achieved in this same stadium in Ivory Coast’s economic capital.

Yet Nigeria won the most recent encounter with their neighbours, in the last 16 in Egypt five years ago, and their current side came into this match as favourites against Rigobert Song’s Cameroon.

The Super Eagles eased through their group unbeaten, while Cameroon needed a stoppage-time goal against Gambia to progress.

Their most recognisable name is Andre Onana, but the Manchester United goalkeeper was dropped for a second successive game, with Fabrice Ondoa of French third-tier side Nimes preferred between the posts.

Vincent Aboubakar, their skipper and main goal threat, was named among the substitutes after missing the entire first round injured.

Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro brought back captain William Troost-Ekong, Lookman and Alex Iwobi –- scorer of the winner in that 2019 tie –- after all were rested for their last match against Guinea-Bissau.

Tireless Osimhen

Their pressing game caused problems for Cameroon from the off, and Nigeria thought they had taken the lead inside eight minutes.

A Moses Simon shot was saved by Ondoa but the ball broke to Ajayi and the West Bromwich Albion defender found the net despite the goalkeeper getting a touch.

Wild celebrations ensued, only for the Moroccan referee to come across to the VAR monitor and disallow the goal because Ajayi was deemed offside and interfering when the initial shot came in.

Not to be discouraged, Nigeria simply did not stop running, with the tireless Osimhen setting the example.

He provoked the opening goal, dispossessing Oumar Gonzalez after a throw-in had been played back towards the Cameroon defender, and then unselfishly setting up Lookman.

The Atalanta forward’s shot was straight at Ondoa, but the goalkeeper could only help the ball on its way.

Osimhen slumped to the turf on the half-time whistle, but the African footballer of the year discovered the energy to go again after the restart.

Peseiro has stressed that the priority for his team has been to make sure they don’t concede goals, and they stood firm despite having goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili stretchered off injured late on.

Aboubakar’s introduction for Cameroon changed nothing, and Nigeria got the killer second just before the game moved into 10 minutes of injury time.

Calvin Bassey crossed low from the left and London-born Lookman applied the finish.

Source: AFP

The clashes of champions pit Nigeria against Cameroon, Egypt against Democratic Republic of Congo, title-holders Senegal against Ivory Coast and Morocco against South Africa.

None of the other four matches feature a former winner, but 2015 semi-finalists Equatorial Guinea will attract attention after topping a group including more fancied Nigeria and Ivory Coast.

Looks at the eight matches and predicts which countries will advance to the quarter-finals of the African football showpiece.

Saturday

Angola v Namibia
This clash of southern Africa neighbours was totally unexpected given Angola had not gone beyond the group stage since being 2010 hosts and Namibia had been winless in three earlier appearances.
Angola overshadowed Algeria and Burkina Faso to top Group D with Gelson Dala scoring twice while Namibia stunned Tunisia, were crushed by South Africa, then exceeded expectations to hold Mali.
Prediction: Angola to win

Nigeria v Cameroon
When it comes to finals in the Cup of Nations Cameroon have won all three against Nigeria, who got the better of the Indomitable Lions in three other meetings.
A Victor Osimhen-led Nigerian attack have found goals hard to come by with just three in three matches, including a penalty and an own goal, but the Cameroon defence is far from impregnable.
Prediction: Nigeria

Sunday

Equatorial Guinea v Guinea
Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue, the leading tournament scorer with five goals, told his team “not to get carried away” after topping Group A through a shock 4-0 win over Ivory Coast.
Guinea are a team who regularly reach the knockout phase, then make little impact. They will hope fit-again Serhou Guirassy can recapture his Bundesliga scoring form.
Prediction: Equatorial Guinea

Egypt v Democratic Republic of Congo
It would have been hard to imagine before the tournament began that record seven-time champions Egypt would qualify without winning a match, but they drew all three in Group B.
The absence of injured talisman Mohamed Salah is a massive blow against a workmanlike Congolese side, led by impressive centre-back Chancel Mbemba, that also progressed after three draws.
Prediction: Egypt

Monday

Cape Verde v Mauritania
This is another tie that no neutral observer would have foreseen before Mauritania, after two unlucky losses, stunned two-time champions Algeria to finish third and squeeze through.
They need to avoid conceding free kicks in their half as Cape Verdean Bebe scored from a 40-metre set-piece against Mozambique. Holding Egypt suggests they will not be pushovers.

Prediction: Cape Verde
Senegal v Ivory Coast
While one of the favourites, Senegal have lost both previous Cup of Nations matches against Ivory Coast and must bury a jinx which has seen the last six holders fail to retain the trophy.
Ivory Coast fired coach Jean-Louis Gasset after being humiliated by Equatorial Guinea and caretaker Emerse Fae knows only a drastic improvement when attacking will offer any hope.
Prediction: Senegal

Tuesday

Mali v Burkina Faso
A clash of former runners-up with Malian Lassine Sinayoko and Burkinabe Bertrand Traore among eight players who have scored twice so far in the Ivory Coast.
Both sides are physically powerful, with Mali exploiting that factor in a group victory over South Africa, and they have been more impressive than rivals who surprisingly fell to Angola.
Prediction: Mali

Morocco v South Africa
While Morocco will be favourites, they have won only one of five meetings with South Africa, who rank among the most unpredictable teams in this tournament.
Outmuscled by Mali, they thrashed giantkillers Namibia, then fought a dour goalless draw with Tunisia. Morocco have several potential match-winners while South Africa rely on Themba Zwane.
Prediction: Morocco

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the Round of 16 of the African Cup of Nations on Saturday.

The fixture was confirmed after the Cameroonians rounded off the group stage with a pulsating 3-2 victory over the Gambia on Tuesday night.

By the win, they finished Group C with four points behind Senegal while Guinea who lost to the Teranga Lions also on Tuesday qualified for the knockout as one of the best losers.

Super Eagles reached the knockout stage after beating Guinea Bissau 1-0 on Monday.

The team finished Group A with seven points behind the surprise package, Equatorial Guinea.

In the game at the Stade de la Paix, Cameroon scored twice with time ticking away to snatch a dramatic win and one that eliminated Ghana from the tournament.

In an amazing finish in Bouake, Ebrima Colley scored on 85 minutes to put Gambia 2-1 up only for Joseph Gomez to concede an own goal before an added-time Christopher Wooh goal won a thriller.

Although Cameroon are 80 places above the Gambia in the world rankings, they came under considerable first-half pressure and were lucky to be level at 0-0 by half-time.

Source: Punch Nigeria

Former champions Algeria crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday after losing 1-0 to Mauritania, who are 75 places lower in the world rankings.

Captain Mohamed Delllah Yaly scored after 37 minutes in Bouake for the Group D outsiders, who will fill one of four places reserved for third-placed finishers in the mini-league stage.

Angola defeated Burkina Faso 2-0 in the same section and topped the final standings with seven points. Burkina Faso (four) and Mauritania (three) also advanced to the knockout stage.

Champions in 1990 and 2019, Algeria came to the Ivory Coast among the favourites to win the African football showpiece only to depart without winning a match.

After draws with Angola and Burkina Faso, they were stunned by Mauritania, who had never won a Cup of Nations match in eight previous attempts spanning three editions.

The winners were constantly on the back foot, especially in the closing stages, but showed defensive resilience to pull off a famous victory.

Former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez arrived in west Africa as the standout Algerian, but poor performances in his first two matches saw him relegated to the bench for this match.

“It’s a fact that these have not been his best matches with Algeria, but don’t kill him too soon,” pleaded coach Djamel Belmadi before facing Mauritania.

The absence of Mahrez did not affect the Desert Foxes unduly for much of first half as they camped in Mauritanian territory seeking to break the deadlock.

Wild celebrations

Houssem Aouar connected with a low cross midway through the half and his sidefooted goal attempt flew narrowly wide.

Against the run of play, Mauritania took the lead on 37 minutes just after goalkeeper Anthony Mandrea conceded a corner having used his leg to block an Aboubakary Koita shot.

Algeria failed to clear the corner and when the ball returned to the area, Iraq-based captain Dellah Yaly struck the ball into the net off a post.

It was not the cleanest of strikes, but that did not matter as wild celebrations erupted after the underdogs took the lead in a Cup of Nations match for the first time.

Algeria responded by putting pressure on the Mauritanian defence again and Hicham Boudaoui was not far off target with a shot from just outside the box.

Belmadi turned to Mahrez, now playing in the lucrative Saudi Pro League, at half-time, bringing him on in place of Aouar to confront tall, well-organised opponents.

Koita squandered a chance to double the lead just before the hour mark, dribbling into the box before blazing over to the relief of Mandrea.

Almost immediately, Bodda Mouhsine was guilty of equally wild finishing from close range, after a Koita free-kick was deflected into his path.

At the other end, a perfectly weighted Mahrez cross led to a Boudaoui header being superbly tipped over by goalkeeper Babacar Niasse, who later foiled Aissa Mandi from point-blank range.

Source: AFP

A first-half Opa Sangante own goal gave Nigeria a 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau on Monday as the Super Eagles clinched their place in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Sangante emphatically turned a Moses Simon cross into his own net in the 36th minute, after feeling compelled to intervene with Victor Osimhen lurking behind him.

The result means the Super Eagles qualify in second place in Group A with seven points, behind Equatorial Guinea whose 4-0 destruction of hosts Ivory Coast leaves them with a far better goal difference.

Nigeria, who drew 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea in their opening game, have since been efficient if not spectacular, defeating the Ivorians 1-0 with a William Troost-Ekong penalty before this result.

Jose Peseiro’s team will now stay in Abidjan for a last-16 tie on Saturday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium against the runners-up in Group C, which will be Senegal, Guinea or Cameroon.

Nigeria’s domination had been sterile before the goal came, but they should have added to their lead after the break.

African player of the year Osimhen and substitute Zaidu Sanusi both had goals disallowed for offside in the second half, while Calvin Bassey had a penalty appeal turned down and Ola Aina blasted a good chance over.

Franculino Dju had a goal ruled out at the other end for Guinea-Bissau, who were already eliminated before this game and finish with three defeats.

Shock winners away to Nigeria in qualifying last March, they have still never won a game in 12 attempts across four appearances at the Cup of Nations itself.

Source: AFP