Nigeria vs Angola: AFCON quarterfinal clash
Nigeria is poised to face a strategically formidable opponent, Angola, in the quarterfinals of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, AFCON.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have various motivations, including seeking revenge for Angola preventing their participation in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Angola secured a 1-0 victory over Nigeria in the first leg in Lagos in June 2005, a match the Super Eagles needed to win to qualify for the World Cup.
The Angolan team then held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in Lagos, securing their qualification for the World Cup at the expense of Nigeria.
Moreover, on the 12th of August, 1989, during a 2nd round World Cup qualifier against Angola, Sam Okwaraji tragically passed away on the field while playing for Nigeria. Okwaraji collapsed on the pitch and succumbed immediately, with the incident occurring 77 minutes into the match.
Fast forward to AFCON 2023, Nigeria advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Cameroon 2-0 in the round of sixteen, while Angola secured their spot by defeating Namibia 3-0.
In head-to-head encounters, Nigeria and Angola have faced each other four times in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series. The Super Eagles managed to secure victory in only one of those matches, with the remaining three concluding in draws.
Regrettably, the Super Eagles have been unable to clinch a win in their last three Africa Cup of Nations encounters against Angola.
In the overall history of their encounters, Nigeria and Angola have met nine times, with the West African giants securing two wins, enduring two losses, and sharing the spoils in five matches.
Nigeria is gearing up to face Angola, a tactically formidable opponent, in the quarterfinals of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, AFCON.
Among various motivations, Nigeria's Super Eagles are seeking revenge after Angola thwarted their participation in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The setback occurred when Angola secured a 1-0 victory over Nigeria in the first leg in Lagos in June 2005, a match the Super Eagles needed to win to qualify for the World Cup. Subsequently, Angola forced a 1-1 draw in Lagos, ultimately qualifying for the World Cup at Nigeria's expense.
Adding to historical context, on August 12, 1989, during a World Cup qualifier against Angola, Sam Okwaraji tragically collapsed and passed away on the field while playing for Nigeria. The incident occurred 77 minutes into the match.
Fast forward to AFCON 2023, Nigeria secured a place in the quarterfinals by defeating Cameroon 2-0 in the round of sixteen, while Angola accomplished the same by thrashing Namibia 3-0.
In their head-to-head encounters, Nigeria and Angola have clashed four times in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, with the Super Eagles winning only one and drawing the other three matches. Unfortunately, the Super Eagles have fallen short of victory in their last three Africa Cup of Nations matches against Angola. In total, the two teams have met nine times, with Nigeria winning twice, losing twice, and sharing the spoils in five occasions.
DAILY POST reports that Nigeria has fielded a lineup featuring players like Nwabali, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey; Aina, Onyeka, Iwobi, Zaidu; Moses Simon, Lookman, and Osimhen for the upcoming game.
Throughout the tournament, standout performers for the Super Eagles include Ademola Lookman, Ola Aina, Victor Osimhen, Troost-Ekong, and Calvin Bassey. Nigeria, however, should exercise caution against key players in the Angolan lineup, including Tó Carneiro, Zito Luvumbo, and Gelson Dala.
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