CAN 2023 : Nigeria Advances to Semi-finals (1-0) against Angola
Nigeria has secured a spot in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament, following their 1-0 victory over Angola (1-0 at half-time) on Friday evening at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, in the quarter-finals.
As the last remaining favorite alongside Ivory Coast, Nigeria lived up to its status during this encounter. While they were not particularly impressive during the group stage (finishing 2nd equal on points with Equatorial Guinea), the Nigerians displayed a surge in strength in the round of 16, exemplified by Victor Osimhen, with a clear victory against Cameroon (2-0). Winners in 2013, José Peseiro’s men are well-positioned to replicate this feat in Ivory Coast.
Topping their group, the Angolans, on the other hand, dominated Namibia (3-0) in the round of 16, notably with a brace from Gelson Dala. This marks their third quarter-final in their history, following 2008 and 2010.
After a fairly balanced start to the match between the two sides, the Nigerians finally managed to find the back of the net four minutes before the end of the first half: Moses Simon accelerated on the left, eluding a defender before setting up Lookman with a pass. The latter, in full stride, powered the ball into the net with a strong shot (41st minute).
