Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon: The Super Eagles put on dominant display to set up quarter-final clash against Angola

Nigeria completely outclassed lackluster Cameroon to reach the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations and kept their quest for a fourth continental crown alive.

An Ademola Lookman double either side of halftime rounded out a comfortable night for the Super Eagles, against a dispirited Cameroon side who failed to register a single shot on target.

Nigeria had the ball in the back of the net just eight minutes in, after Fabrice Ondoa unconvincingly punched Lookman’s corner out to Alex Iwobi on the edge of the Cameroon box. Iwobi’s follow-up shot, which was saved by Ondoa then fell to Semi Ajayi who tapped it home amongst the carnage.

However, the Indomitable Lions were let off the hook as a VAR check revealed Ajayi and Victor Osimhen were both offside. Cameroon offered nothing going forward, their only bright spark came from Frank Magri but he was often left isolated and with little support up front.

They would pay for this in the 36^th minute, when Osimhen, who pressed tirelessly all night dispossessed Oumar Gonzalez in the Cameroonian defence, went through on goal, and unselfishly played in Lookman who squeezed the ball under the side-peddling Ondoa.

Despite being a goal down Cameroon were hesitant to commit men forward, and called upon captain Vincent Aboubakar in the 77th minute for his first appearance at AFCON 2023. However, he had no real opportunities to threaten Stanley Nwabali’s goal, with Nwabali unfortunately going off injured in the 80^th minute after a collision with Georges-Kévin N’Koudou.

Nigeria got their killer second in the 90^th minute after Iwobi’s quickly taken free-kick caught Cameroon off-guard and gave Calvin Bassey acres of space on the left wing. Bassey then picked out Lookman with his low-precise cross, and Lookman’s first-time finish was too powerful for Ondoa to stop from close range.

What now for Nigeria?

The Super Eagles will now face the Sable Antelopes of Angola in the quarter-finals on February 2^nd (17:00 GMT) at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny.

Nigeria will enter the game on the back of three consecutive wins and have still conceded only one goal at AFCON 2023. They have now defeated tournament hosts Ivory Coast and five-time champions Cameroon.

There is still work to do, but José Peseiro’s men will take some stopping.

Feature image credit: Ben Sutherland