AFCON Round of 16 Recap: Angola and Nigeria Secure Victories

Angola 3-0 Namibia

Angola showcased a dominant performance as they secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Namibia. The hero of the match was Gelson Dala, who netted two crucial goals in the 38th and 42nd minutes. Mabululu added to the tally in the 66th minute, sealing Namibia’s fate.

The game, however, witnessed early drama with red cards for both teams. Neblú of Angola in the 17th minute, while Namibia’s Lubeni Haukongo was shown a red card in the 40th minute. These dismissals added an extra layer of intensity to the encounter.

Jérémie Bela, representing Clermont Foot 63 in Ligue 1, made a late appearance for Angola, coming on in the 84th minute to replace Mabululu. Angola’s win earned them a spot in the quarterfinals and set the stage for a showdown against Nigeria.

Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon

In a highly anticipated clash, Nigeria triumphed over Cameroon with a 2-0 victory, securing their place in the quarterfinals. Ademola Lookman emerged as the star of the match, scoring both goals in the 36th and 90th minutes, propelling Nigeria to the next stage.

Moses Simon, representing FC Nantes, played a crucial role for Nigeria as he started the game. For the other side, Jean-Charles Castelletto (FC Nantes), Christopher Wooh (Stade Rennais), and Frank Magri (Toulouse FC), all featuring in Ligue 1, started for Cameroon. Enzo Tchato Mbiayi of Montpellier HSC and Faris Pemi Moumbagna of Olympique de Marseille entered the game as substitutes for Cameroon.

The victory held extra significance for Nigeria, as it marked their revenge for the 1984 AFCON final defeat to Cameroon on the same pitch at Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny. The Super Eagles’ 2-0 win sent the Indomitable Lions packing and propelled Nigeria into the quarterfinals of AFCON 2023.