The Super Eagles Soars to the Semi-Finals of AFCON2023

Once again it was Ademola Lookman who scored the only goal as three-time Africa Nations Cup Champions, the Super Eagles of Nigeria knocked out the Palancas Negras of Angola to book their place in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.

The Atalanta winger struck four minutes before half-time in Abidjan, the Ivorian nation’s capital, turning in Moses Simon’s cross to book a last-four date with either Cape Verde or South Africa being their likely opponents which will be decided tomorrow when the whistle blows by 9 pm Nigerian time.

It was the Angolans that started on a bright note and was later denied in the fourth minute when the Super Eagles’ goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali kept out Mabululu’s close-range volley.

The Palancas Negras of Angola will be experiencing their first semi-finals since the inception of the African Nation’s Cup in February 1957 in Khartoum, Sudan.

However, it was Nigeria who hit the front in the 41st minute. Simon skipped away from Kialonda Gaspar’s sliding challenge and squared the ball for Lookman to fire into the roof of the net.

Angola almost responded just before the hour mark. Substitute Zine latched onto Show’s through-ball and beat Nwabali, only to see his first-time shot bounce back off the post.

Although VAR denied Victor Osimhen, whose header from Lookman’s free-kick was chalked off for offside, the Super Eagles held out to secure their passage into the semi-finals.