In a repeat of the 2000 final, Nigeria and Cameroon will clash in what is probably the pick of the round of 16 action. Lilitha Bodlani previews.
AFCON 2023
Match 38 – Nigeria v Cameroon
Saturday 27 January | 22:00
We’ve arrived at the business end of the tournament with the round of 16 getting underway this weekend. Nigeria come into the game in a better space having won their last Group game. Cameroon, on the other hand, were made to work hard in beating minnows Gambia to book their place in knockouts.
To Win Match
Nigeria 21/20 | Draw 7/4 | Cameroon 26/10
Having done enough to make it out of the group into the knockout rounds, the Super Eagles will have all their work cut out for them against Cameroon.
They do have the current African Player of the Year (2023) Victor Osimen leading the attack line and they will need him to start firing if they plan to make it to the quarter-finals. The Napoli hitman has registered a tournament-high 13 attempts, across his three group-stage fixtures, finding the back of the net once.
Even the head coach Jose Peseiro knows that it won’t be an easy task when it comes to the knockouts. “It’s a new competition that’s starting for us. The most important part of a competition, the knockout matches. We will have to be more clinical in front of goal because the slightest mistake will be fatal for us,” said Peseiro.
The coach will be sweating on a couple of injuries. The most recent of which is their captain William Troost-Ekong. Despite this, with stars such as Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho to call upon, it’s hardly a crisis.
By hook or by crook, Cameroon advanced to the knockout stages. After a draw on opening day, Rigobert Song’s men were well and truly beaten by Senegal on matchday two, despite Jean-Charles Castelletto striking in the 83rd minute to pull a goal back. At the time it reduced the deficit to 2-1, however, Sadio Mané effectively put an end to the contest deep into stoppage time.
Their third and final group game could not have been more chaotic. The Indomitable Lions struck twice in five minutes to record a come-from-behind victory against The Gambia and book their last 16 ticket.
Notwithstanding the result, there was a further twist in the tail as Andre Onana was dropped to the bench. Time will tell whether the Manchester United shot-stopper will start on Saturday.
Looking ahead to this one, Song has a formidable front line that has shown signs of life in Ivory Coast. The challenge: find a way to get N’Koudou or Ntcham to open their AFCON accounts.
Verdict: Nigeria 21/20
If I’m a betting man, you’ve got back the Super Eagles. Cameroon simply haven’t been convincing enough in Ivory Coast and are in many ways are lucky to have made it to the round of 16. I fear their AFCON adventure will end here.
