AFCON 2023: Nigeria disposes of Angola and advances to the semi-finals

In a tightly contested first half, Nigeria managed to break the deadlock just before halftime, ultimately opening the doors wide to the semi-finals by defeating Angola (1-0) with another goal from Ademola Lookman.

It was a bit of a surprise team in these quarter-finals of the 2024 AFCON, one that wasn’t expected to reach this stage of the competition. Yet, once again, Angola lived up to expectations.

The tournament’s top-scoring team with nine goals showcased that their presence here was no fluke. However, this time, it was their defensive discipline that posed a challenge for Nigeria and steered them away.

Before this match against the Super Eagles, uncertainties loomed. Offensively, the Palancas Negras had already displayed their prowess with attackers like Gelson Dala and Mabululu. However, facing the Nigerian offensive arsenal, it’s evident that Pedro Gonçalves’ defenders held their own against Victor Osimhen and his teammates for a significant part of the game.

Pascal Amstrong