Friday’s African Cup of Nations quarter-final clash against the Black Panthers of Angola is easily the toughest match the Super Eagles had to play in the measured ambition to win the title in Cote d’Ivoire.
It is a true test of the Super Eagles intention to get to the final and then take it higher from there. Angola remained unbeaten in the tournament, they topped their group D that had Algeria. They scored nine goals so far from four games.
Nigeria on the other hand were pushed in group A by Equatorial Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire and then in the round of 16 by Cameroon. They conceded just one one goal in four games.
At the Felix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan it is going to be an attacking team going against a defence minded team that has Victor Osimhen one of the most potenten strikers in the continent. Combining with Ademola Lookman up front they have proved that they can score against any team whenever they want to.
What coaches and players are saying about the clash.
Jose Peseiro, Nigeria’s Coach: “It’s a quarter-final match. Both teams want to reach the semi-finals. It will be a tough match; we will bring commitment and sacrifice to try to overcome this great team, even if it’s not a big name, to reach the semi-final.” “Angola is not a big name in Africa, but they play very well. They are not here by luck; they have shown a lot of capability to reach the quarter-finals. Our team has scored 5 goals in 4 matches so far. We will attack with 11 and defend with 11 as well.”
Alex Iwobi, Nigeria’s Midfielder: “We watched the videos. It will be a tough match. They won the last match with a large score, and we also defended well. We will give everything on the field to reach the semi-finals.” “We have to respect Angola a lot. If they are at this stage of the competition, it means they are a great team. We need the entire team to defend. It won’t be easy because it’s a team that scores a lot. I rely on my teammates to meet the challenge.”
Pedro Gonçalves, Angola’s Coach: “This match means a lot for our team and for the entire Angolan nation, which has dreamed for years of seeing the team at this stage of the competition. We will face Nigeria, a great nation in African football… This match is an opportunity to show our worth; we have worked and given our all to reach this level of the competition. I congratulate my team, which has always been dedicated. The match is an opportunity to show that we have evolved.” “We respect Nigeria for what they have demonstrated so far in African football. Currently, Nigeria has a very strong team with players who play in major European leagues, such as the Premier League and Serie A… They use the best playing system to compete in this Africa Cup of Nations.”
Manuel Cafumana, Angola’s Player: “Friday, we will have a match that will allow us to prove ourselves. I am proud of what we have accomplished since the beginning and especially the pride that we currently represent for our country… We will fight against Nigeria as we did in the first four matches. We will play as usual.”
