Nigeria vs Angola LIVE: Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final result, final score and reaction as Super Eagles win
The favourites for the 2024 Afcon take on an impressive Angola outfit who have top-scored at the tournament so far
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free
Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has reached the quarter-final stage and the first of those took place in Abidjan on Friday evening, with Nigeria knocking out Angola after a 1-0 victory.
It’s now four clean sheets in a row for the Super Eagles, who look defensively solid and to have a platform for success, despite possessing some of the best attacking talents with the likes of Victor Osimhen in their squad. Tonight though - as in the round of 16 - it was Ademola Lookman who scored the winner, netting in the first half for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.
Osimhen did find the back of the net but saw his goal ruled out for offside, while Angola rarely threatened to find a late equaliser in truth. Nigeria will play South Africa or Cabo Verde in the semis. Follow all the reaction to Nigeria vs Angola below and get all the latest Afcon odds and tips here.
Nigeria through to Afcon semi-finals as they edge past Angola
Nigeria edged past Angola 1-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals thanks to a first-half goal from Ademola Lookman.
The former Fulham and Everton winger crashed home the only goal of the game in the 41st minute as the Super Eagles, chasing a fourth Afcon title, came up against a determined resistance in Abidjan.
Jose Peseiro’s side will face the winner of Cape Verde against South Africa, who meet in Yamoussoukro on Saturday, for a place in the final.
Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen twice went close in the first half with headers, the first when he got on the end of Moses Simon’s cross but could only guide this effort into the goalkeeper’s hands, then again when he nodded across goal after meeting Ola Aina’s long throw.
What would prove to be the winning goal arrived four minutes before half-time and Simon was the architect.
Alex Iwobi began the move with a sweeping ball from right to left. Nantes winger Simon found space with a well-time run down the wing and, having carried the ball to the byline, looked up and found Lookman. He evaded the attention of Angola’s defence and hit a thumping first-time finish into the roof of the net.
Early in the second half, Calvin Bassey took the ball off the foot of team-mate Osimhen as he sought to execute a close-range overhead kick, the Fulham player nodding over the bar after Angola failed to clear a corner, as Nigeria sought to settle the game.
Minutes later, Angola came within an inch of levelling. Zini sprung Nigeria’s offside trip with an expertly timed run from a defence-splitting pass. Bearing down one-on-one against Stanley Nwabali, he opened up his right foot and despatched an effort that rebounded off the inside of the post and away to safety.
Osimhen thought he had made it 2-0 when his header from Bassey’s free-kick went in off the post, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for offside, to the relief of Angola goalkeeper Antonio Dominique who had allowed the ball to squeeze through his hands.
The Napoli striker spurned another chance to seal it with 10 minutes to play, racing on to Lookman’s ball out from the back and running through on goal. He was denied by a superb last-ditch block from defender Kialonda Gaspar who deflected the ball away.
Afcon quarter-final schedule: Africa Cup of Nations fixtures, start times and TV channels
The Africa Cup of Nations has reached the knockout stages, as Ivory Coast play host for the second time in the competition’s history.
Of the 24 nations taking part in the Afcon, Senegal were installed as the pre-tournament favourites, but the reigning champions have been knocked about amid a flurry of surprising results. The previous beaten finalists, Egypt, have also been knocked out, as have World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, who many tipped to go all the way here.
The tournament is officially Afcon 2023, despite taking place in 2024, after it was pushed back several months due to concerns over the Senegalese heat in the summer months.
Here is the full schedule of fixtures, dates and kick-off times, and get all the latest football betting sites offers here.
Afcon quarter-finals: Africa Cup of Nations fixtures, start times and TV channels
Ivory Coast are hosting the rearranged 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
FT - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
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.
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 Cape Verde Islands or South Africa, who play their quarter-final on Saturday.
Later on Friday, also in Abidjan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea meet in the second of the quarter-final clashes.
FT - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
That defensive resolve keeps the Super Eagles soaring. Four clean sheets in a row and just one conceded in five matches at the Afcon now this year.
FT - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
It’s now four clean sheets in a row for the Super Eagles, who look defensively solid and to have a platform for success, despite possessing some of the best attacking talents with the likes of Victor Osimhen in their squad. Tonight though - as in the round of 16 - it was Ademola Lookman who scored the winner, netting in the first half for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.
Osimhen did find the back of the net but saw his goal ruled out for offside, while Angola rarely threatened to find a late equaliser in truth. Nigeria will play South Africa or Cabo Verde in the semis.
FT - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
Match stats:
Shots 13-10
On target: 3-2
xG: 1.08 - 0.91
Possession: 45% - 55%
Corners 4-7
Yellow cards: 1-3
FT - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
And there’s the whistle! Nigeria are into the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals and they will play South Africa or Cabo Verde, who meet tomorrow in Yamoussoukro.
Angola’s dream comes to an end but the Super Eagles fly on!
90+7’ - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
Omeruo and Onuachi on for Osimhen and Lookman. An extra defender on then for the Super Eagles, plus some aerial prowess from striker Onuachi for both boxes.
Angola fast running out of time now and they just cannot penetrate the green wall. A deep cross from the right briefly looks better but Nwabah rises, catches cleanly and goes to ground. Nigeria are just about there.
90+4’ - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
Midway through injury time and Angola just not getting anywhere near the Nigeria penalty box at present. They have a free-kick now and look to go long - almost panic stations time for them now.
Nigeria still standing firm, looking organised, though also very deep just outside their own box.
90’ - Nigeria 1-0 Angola
Nigeria within a few minutes of the semi-finals - and of their fourth clean sheet in a row. There are SEVEN minutes added on though.
Osimhen is down injured again and is going off on the stretcher this time - he took a hit to his face trying to control the ball a few minutes ago.
Simon leads a counter down the left to relieve some pressure - not where Angola need the ball.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies