Elvis
Nigeria is in the semi-finals of the AFCON. The three-time winners of the competition have booked their place thanks to Ademola Lookman's first-half goal. There were a few scary moments but the Eagles held on. It was a good run for the impressive Antelopes as they ran their way through the tournament.
The Atalanta winger struck four minutes before half-time, after a burst of speed from Moses Simon down the left flank to meet an awkward pass and a cut back to the winger who slammed the ball into the roof of the net.
The Angolans made a bright start to the game and even forced the Nigerian keeper into a save just four minutes into the match. Nwabili stood firm and kept out Mabululu's close-range volley.
In the 41st minute, the magic happened. Simon skipped away from Gasper's sliding tackle and squared the ball to Lookman who dispatched expertly. Angola almost responded before the hour mark after a mix-up in the Nigerian midfield, leaving substitute Zine to chase down a through ball from Show. His shot beat Nwabali but came off the upright.
There was more action as VAR denied Osimhen the chance to score a second goal, much to the delight of the Angolan keeper who didn't put up enough to parry the ball away. Lookman was still the provider, highlighting his importance to the squad.
Nigeria is the highest-ranked nation remaining in the competition, with the defensive performance again proving to be the foundation.
Jose Peseiro's side have plenty of positives to build on as they head into the semi-finals. With the newly adopted style of play, the tournament may just be ours to lose...
