Nigeria continues its solid AFCON impression, with the Super Eagles disposing of the until now impressive Angolan side to reach the semi-finals.
With this evening’s hard-fought 1-0, the Nigerians have both set their sights on the final and confirmed their standing as perhaps the only pre-tournament favorite that has what it takes to live up to its fans’ high expectations.
From the onset of the match, the Super Eagles looked eager to maintain their tournament record of an impenetrable defensive line, making Angola struggle for a window of opportunity to score.
But defensive solidity has not been Nigeria’s only distinctive mark in this AFCON, with the impressive attacking line of Lookman-Osimhen-Simon proving constantly threatening and at times unstoppable in all of the Eagles’ matches so far.
And it was the case again this evening on many occasions, especially in the first half where the Nigerians dictated the tempo and caused panic in the Angolan penalty area thanks to their dynamic wingers and the defense-splitting passes of midfielder Iwobi.
Nigeria’s first-half domination bore fruit in the 41st minute courtesy of a thumping goal by Ademola Lookman. Moses Simon’s skillful play on the left wing set up Lookman, who lashed home a powerful shot to give Nigeria the lead.
Despite the early setback, Angola’s Palancas Negras (Black Antelopes) continued to seek opportunities to equalize. In the 61st minute, a beautifully weighted through ball split the Nigerian defense, finding Zini, whose shot hit the far post.
Nigeria’s win comes as no surprise to many observers of this ongoing AFCON: Unlike many of the much-feted pre-tournament favorites, the Super Eagles have vastly lived up to expectations by displaying a game-winning combination of defensive solidity and effectiveness in attack.
