Nigeria Beat Angola To Advance To Semi-Final

By: Gyang Dakwo

Nigeria were the first side to book a semi-final berth at the Africa Cup of Nations after Ademola Lookman’s first-half goal ensured a 1-0 win over Angola in the last eight on Friday.

Ademola Lookman finished off a flying run down the left by winger Moses Simon, who skipped the challenge of defender Kialonda Gaspar to break free and then teed up his team mate for his third goal of the tournament.

The 26-year-old’s 41st-minute strike at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium was enough to set up a semi-final meeting on Wednesday against either the Cabo Verde Islands or South Africa, who play their quarter-final on Saturday.

Nigeria have now qualified for the semi-final in 13 of their last 15 Cup of Nations appearances and been elevated to the role of favourites at a tournament where almost all the heavyweight contenders have been dumped out.

In the other quarter final match, Democratic Republic of Congo came from a goal behind to beat Guinea 3-1 in their Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium on Friday and join Nigeria in the last four.