JUST-IN: Lookman fires Nigeria’s Super Eagles into AFCON semi-finals
Nigeria’s Super Eagles were the first side to book a semi-final berth at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations after Ademola Lookman’s first-half goal ensured a 1-0 win over Angola’s Palancas Negras 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.
Super Eagles star forwatd 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.
Intrestingly, what eventually turned out to be the winning goal arrived four minutes before the end of first half and Simon was the goal’s architect.
Alex Iwobi kickstarted 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 attentions 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 their line, 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.
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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 forward 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.
Later on Friday, also in Abidjan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea meet in the second of the quarter-final clashes.