AFCON preview: Super Eagles eye semi-final spot against Angola

Nigeria vs Angola is the first quarter-final game of the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations by 6pm today.

All eyes are on the Super Eagles of Nigeria as they slug it out against Angola in the AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023.

The target for Nigeria is to qualify for the semi-final.

Both teams boast a youthful squad, with an average age of 26 years, as they set their sights on a crucial victory to secure a spot in the AFCON semifinals.
Africa Cup of Nations Final Stagein 06:57:58
Nigeria@Angola
1.73
3.35
6.10

The winner between Nigeria and Angola on Wednesday will February 7, 2024, be at the 40,000-capacity Peace Stadium in Bouake.
They will face the winner of Cape Verde vs. South Africa to be played also on Friday.

The AFCON tournament runs from January 13 until February 11.

Adding to the concerns, the Super Eagles trained without William Troost-Ekong on both Monday and Tuesday. The vice-captain is grappling with a thigh problem that sidelined him during the final Group A game against Guinea-Bissau.

Zaidu Shehu is another player whose availability is doubtful.

Ahead of today’s game, Peseiro addressed the goalkeeper’s situation, stating that his availability was still subject to a late fitness test during the team’s last training session for the game on Thursday.

“…If Nwabali is not fit, I trust Uzoho,” Peseiro said at the pre-match conference on Thursday.
In terms of the attacking lineup, Osimhen, Lookman, and Moses Simon are expected to lead the front, with many other options available on the bench.

Coach Jose Peseiro is unlikely to alter his approach in the quarterfinals.

For Angola, Mabululu and Dala have been standout performers, while Fredy’s three assists have played a crucial role for the Palancas Negras. Gilberto adds an element of unpredictability, making him a notable threat.

However, Angola will be without the services of Neblu, who is suspended following his red card after 17 minutes in the match against Namibia for handling the ball outside his penalty area.

Preview: Nigeria vs Angola

In a June 2005 encounter at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano State, the Super Eagles experienced a bitter setback when the Palancas Negras secured a 1-1 draw in the qualifying rounds of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Having suffered a lone-goal defeat in the first leg in Angola the previous year, the Super Eagles entered the match needing a victory to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

The prospects seemed promising early on, with Jay Jay Okocha securing a lead for Nigeria in the fifth minute as the Super Eagles dominated for extended periods.

Regrettably for Nigeria, Paolo Figueiredo levelled the score for the away side, ultimately extinguishing Nigeria’s hopes of qualification for the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.

Okawaraji

Again, another notable event was when Samuel Okwaraji slumped and died on August 12, 1989, in Lagos while playing against the Angolans in a 1990 World Cup qualifier.

Okwaraji, 25, slumped inside the main bowl of the National Stadium, Lagos, 10 minutes to the end of the Italia 1990 qualifier, and while the Eagles secured a hard-earned 1-0 win, the skilled player lost his life.