Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-01-27 06:00:44
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are set to face off in the round of 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, reigniting a long-standing rivalry between the two football powerhouses. The highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.
In the group stage, the Super Eagles secured a second-place finish behind Equatorial Guinea in Group A, while the Indomitable Lions advanced behind defending AFCON champions Senegal in Group C, thanks to a late comeback against The Gambia.
The history between the two teams dates back to the 1984 AFCON final, which was held in Côte d’Ivoire. Cameroon emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over Nigeria, claiming their first-ever AFCON title. Their rivalry continued in subsequent tournaments, with meetings in the group stage and the final of the 1988 AFCON in Morocco, where Cameroon once again came out on top.
Nigeria got their first AFCON win against Cameroon in the third-placed match at the 1992 tournament in Senegal. However, the Indomitable Lions asserted their dominance once more in the 2000 edition, defeating the Super Eagles in a thrilling final that ended in a penalty shootout.
In recent years, the rivalry has remained intense, with Nigeria avenging their previous defeats by securing victories over Cameroon in the AFCON 2004 quarter-finals and the round of 16 in 2019. The last meeting saw the Eagles emerge victorious with a 3-2 win, with goals from Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi.
As the two teams prepare to face each other once again, it remains to be seen whether the Indomitable Lions will secure their first AFCON win over the Eagles in 24 years. The upcoming match is sure to be a closely contested battle as both teams strive to advance further in the tournament.
Read the original article on The Guardian
