Ahead of this AFCON round-of-sixteen clash, there was much controversy surrounding the Cameroonian team after having dropped Manchester United’s André Onana – and having merely scraped through to the knockouts, they’d need to be firing on all cylinders if they were to progress further.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles would feel confident of progressing, as they remain undefeated in this year’s competition despite netting just once in each of their three group stage outings.
NGA: Nwabali; Bassey, Troost-Ekong, Ajayi; Sanusi, Iwobi, Onyeka, Aina; Lookman, Osimhen, Simon
CMR: Ondoa; Wooh, Gonzalez, Castelletto; Nouhou, Ntcham, Zambo Anguissa, Ngamaleu; Nkoudou, Magri, Toko Ekambi
The Super Eagles thought they’d struck the opening blow of the game through West Brom’s Semi Ajayi, after a blunder from Fabrice Ondoa as the goalkeeper came to collect the ball. However, the Cameroonian shotstopper was spared his blushes, as the Nigerian defender was coming back from an offside position before he took aim.
After 35 minutes of action in Abidjan, Victor Osimhen piled the pressure onto Cameroon’s Omar Gonzalez after a throw-in, muscling the defender off the ball before squaring it for Ademola Lookman. The ex-Leicester City forward snuck his effort through the arms of Ondoa to fire the Super Eagles into a first-half lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesThroughout the second half, Nigeria tried to double their advantage on several occasions; Lookman struck a freekick just over the bar, Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina had a shot blocked that was surely going in and Fulham’s Alex Iwobi had a chance that went begging.
But the Super Eagles would double their tally three minutes from time, as Lookman latched onto a cross from Fulham’s Calvin Bassey. While Ondoa got a hand to it, the strike was too powerful to keep out and the Atalanta forward was able to net his second goal of the match.
While Cameron had most of the ball in this game, they never really threatened Nigeria and bowed out without much of a fight. Nigeria were ruthless in taking their chances and causing danger on the counter. Nigeria will look forward to their affair with Angola in the next round.
