Jonathan Wilson’s report has landed, so I’m away to bed. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight.
Updated
Full time: Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon
Peep peep! Nigeria will play Angola in the quarter-final on Friday after a surprisingly comfortable victory over Cameroon. It wasn’t a great game, but Nigeria were much the better team and progressed thanks to a goal in each half from Ademola Lookman.
𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃! ✅
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 27, 2024
🇳🇬 The second quarter-final ticket for the day goes to The Super Eagles! 🤩#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/eP6B3UGaTZ
Updated
90+9 min: Nigeria substitutions Paul Onuachi and Bright Osayi-Samuel come on for the excellent Victor Osimhen, who looks shattered, and Moses Simon.
90+7 min Cameroon win their first corner of the match in the 97th minute. It almost leads to a goal – for Nigeria. Aina leads a break and curls a cross that is inadvertently knocked past his own keeper by Castelletto. Osimhen is about to help himself to an open goal when Casteletto boots the ball to safety.
Updated
90+6 min: Cameroon substitution Faris Moumbagna comes on for Karl Toko-Ekambi.
90+5 min Aina is booked for a high tackle on Nkoudou.
90+5 min It may not have been a sparkling performance from Nigeria, but there’s no doubt the best team has won. Cameroon have been so disappointing.
90+3 min Tchato takes his frustration out on Lookman and is a bit fortunate to not be booked.
90+1 min There will be 10 minutes of added time. Cameroon need 10 hours.
Ademola Lookman’s second goal has sparked wild celebrations among the Nigeria players. They took a short free-kick on ther left, with Iwobi releasing Bassey on the left. He clipped a cross to the near post, where Lookman was totally unmarked. He watched the bounce carefully, opened his body and steered a close-range shot that went through Ondoa and into the net.
"That is FABULOUS, FABULOUS play" 😍💫
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 27, 2024
Lookman with a LATE goal to double Nigeria's lead! pic.twitter.com/gsulnU9LhU
Updated
GOAL! Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon (Lookman 90)
Nigeria will play Angola in the quarter-finals!
Updated
88 min Ntcham’s long-range shot is blocked and Nigeria break. Iwobi, who started the move, gets the ball back from Lookman in the area but loses his bearings and shoots well wide of the near post. He had more time than he realised.
87 min Simon is booked for a tactical foul on Tolo.
87 min: Cameroon subsitution Enzo Tchato is on for Moumi Ngamaleu.
86 min: Great defending by Tolo! Osimhen and Simon combined well on the left to find Lookman. He slid the ball across the area to the onrushing Aina, whose shot was brilliantly blocked by Tolo.
85 min A rare bit of Cameroonian urgency from Ngamaleu, who controls a crossfield pass before dribbling past Bassey and into the area. Bassey recovers to make a good tackle.
Updated
83 min “This year, Nigeria have displayed the amazing ability to not play well themselves - but make their opponents party really badly,” says Adesokan Makanaki. “All in all, still a match-winning skill.”
Who says Jose Mourinho is finished?
80 min: Nigeria substitutions Stanley Nwabili can’t continue and will be replaced in goal by Francis Uzoho. Kenneth Omeruo is also coming on for Zaidu Sanusi. There’s going to be loads of injury time.
78 min: Cameroon substitution Here comes the big man, Vincent Aboubakar, in place of the defender Oumar Gonzalez. That should mean a switch to 4-2-4.
77 min “I always try to think of something constructive to say to you guys, and also make some insinuation that doing the OBO or MBM is the best job in the world...” says Matt Dunnill, “but maaaate. This is a really bad game. I actually feel for you. This is grim. A really tough watch. I literally have nothing more to say!”
I guess you need games like this to make the classics count. Also, it’s not over yet.
Updated
76 min Now there’s an official cooling break.
75 min Nwabili is still being treated. Nkoudou was booked for the challenge, which was reckless rather than malicious.
73 min Nwabili claims a deep cross from the right and is clattered by Nkoudou. I think it was accidental, but both players are down.
Updated
71 min Nkoudou beats Lookman on the left wing and is pulled back. He takes the free-kick himself and Nwabili punches away.
70 min It’s a surprise Rigobert Song hasn’t made any substitutions because Cameroon are offering nothing in attack.
68 min The relentless Osimhen runs onto a ball forward and is about to shoot when Tolo puts the ball behind for a corner. It’s curled out and flapped away by Ondoa.
67 min An injury to the Nigeria keeper Nwabili allows the players to have a drink. Have one anyway.
66 min “Watching this Nigeria side is extremely frustrating,” writes Kári Tulinius. “They have the ingredients of a great team, but they’re like sauce that isn’t thickening in the pan. Meanwhile, Cameroon are just bad, but somehow still in the game. Why Nigeria aren’t going for the kill is mystifying, and may end up costing them.”
63 min Osimhen has been superb tonight, pretty much a one-man attack. For the umpteenth time he makes something out of a nothing ball forward and gallops down the left, but Gonzalez does really well to stay with him and make an important tackle.
Updated
61 min Cameroon’s main option from the bench is Vincent Aboubakar. He’s not 100 per cent fit, but as things stand there’s not much point saving him for the quarter-finals.
60 min Ondoa springs from his line to beat Osimhen to a through ball; good goalkeeping.
58 min Nouhou blasts miles wide from distance. Cameroon still haven’t had a shot on target.
57 min “Just come across from watching a completely toothless Fulham outplay Newcastle without ever looking like scoring to find that things are getting even worse,” says Richard Hirst. “If it stays like this we won’t be getting Bassey and Iwobi back. How have we vexed the gods?”
You made the mistake of buying very good footballers.
56 min Osimhen beats Ondoa to a 50/50 ball on the edge of the area and goes down. He turns to appeal for a penalty, only to realise the flag has gone up for offside. That offside looked extremely tight, though I’m not sure it was a foul by Ondoa either.
55 min Lookman slams the free-kick over the bar. Ondoa had it covered.
53 min More desperate defending from Cameroon. A lazy pass from Wooh is intercepted by Onyeka, who charges from the halfway line to the edge of the area. Wooh brings him down in the D and is booked.
Updated
51 min Aina drives a long, angled cross that just evades the unmarked Lookman beyond the far post.
49 min Osimhen is sent flying again, this time by Ngamaleu. Lookman overhits the free-kick and Ondoa claims.
46 min Osimhen is sent flying by Gonzalez, who is fortunate not to be booked. In fact the referee didn’t even give a foul.
46 min Peep peep! Cameroon begin the second half.
Half-time reading
Half time: Nigeria 1-0 Cameroon
Nigeria are deservedly in front after a scruffy, disappointing first half. They dominated a very poor Cameroon side and created what few chances there were. Semi Ajayi had an early goal ruled out by VAR, then Ademola Lookman scored for real after a mistake from Oumar Gonzalez.
The two centre-forwards, Victor Osimhen and Magri, showed a few touches of class. For everyone else it was a bit of a slog.
HT In Abidjan #SoarSuperEagles #LetsDoItAgain pic.twitter.com/x4MKieuLnv
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) January 27, 2024
Updated
45+3 min Six minutes of added time, mainly because of the disallowed goal.
45 min “Evening Rob,” says Neil Way. “I think in claiming the goal was a defensive fiasco, you’re missing Lookman’s role in the comedy – given a whole, gaping goal to aim at, he tried his hardest to hit the keeper instead. Without that the keeper wouldn’t have had a chance to make a glorious hash of diving over the ball too. Is there a prize for worst goal of the tournament?”
That would be great. Call it the Ballon d’Oh or something.
44 min Free-kick to Cameroon in a decent position on the right-wing. Nkoudou belts it behind for a goalkick. Magri aside, Cameroon have been really poor going forward.
42 min At first I thought Ondoa should have done better on Lookman’s goal. On reflection, maybe he was a bit unfortunate. He was sprawling across goal and got plenty on the shot, but it slithered under his body and into the net.
41 min Ntcham accidentally stands on the foot of Zaidu Sanusi, who twists his ankle and is in a fair bit of pain. I think he’ll be okay to continue.
38 min Magri controls Gonzalez’s long ball on the chest on the edge of the area, then spins Troost-Ekong in the same movement, but Troost-Ekong recovers superbly to stretch and block the shot.
That was a beautiful bit of centre-forward play from Magri, who looks sharp but also lonely.
Updated
It was a bit of a fiasco in the Cameroon defence. Gonzalez dawdled on the ball after receiving a throw-in and was robbed by Osimhen. He stumbled to the edge of the area, drew two defenders and slid the ball across to Lookman. His first-time shot wriggled under the diving Ondoa, who probably should have done better, and Gonzalez on the line could only help the ball into the net.
OUT OF NOWHERE! Nigeria take the lead over Cameroon!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 27, 2024
"That's what happens when a player gives you 120%, a player playing with his heart" 🇳🇬❤️ pic.twitter.com/ljQ8VDpWWG
Updated
GOAL! Nigeria 1-0 Cameroon (Lookman 35)
It just got better: Ademola Lookman has scored!
Updated
32 min The match resumes. It can only get better.
30 min Osimhen turns smartly, just short of the halfway line, and is bundled over by Gonzalez. The referee calls for a cooling break.
28 min It’s hard to know whether Cameroon are playing defensively, poorly or both. Nigeria have done most of the attacking, albeit without conviction.
Updated
27 min This game – and you are welcome to this poetic insight - is not good.
24 min “Well,” says Charles Antaki, “I can think of another difference between 1990 and 2024 between Nigeria and Cameroon – those 1990 kits were absolute classics, but here we have designs based on, respectively, garden centre wallpaper and a partial sketch of the human ribcage.”
Arf. I quite like them, though I’ve been partial to a Cameroon kit since I bought their 2002 vest and showcased my popguns at the Westway.
23 min Nkoudou loops the ball towards Magri on the edge of the area. He controls it deftly on the chest and then the head, but Troost-Ekong does well to shepherd him wide.
22 min The camera cuts to Jay-Jay Okocha in the crowd, a good excuse to remind both our readers of this jaunty little number.
20 min Nigeria have been the better team, though it’s all a bit scruffy in truth. I’m not going to say it needs a goal, at least not until the 23rd minute.
18 min A flat cross from Ngamaleu is volleyed over from 15 yards by Magri. An eighth of a chance, at best.
14 min Here’s that disallowed goal. You be the referee.
NO GOAL!!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 27, 2024
Ajayi has the ball in the back of the net for Nigeria but it's ruled out for offside after a VAR check 🎥❌ pic.twitter.com/BIWn14Eosb
NO GOAL! Nigeria 0-0 Cameroon
Apparently not: the goal has been disallowed! Well I’ll be dipped in VAR.
Updated
12 min: The referee is going to the monitor! I assume this is a subjective offside decision against Ajayi. He was definitely offside when the shot was taken, but doesn’t it become a new phase of play once the keeper makes the save?
Updated
11 min: VAR check Ajayi was behind the keeper and therefore in an offside position when Simon shot from the edge of the area. I think he’s okay because Ondoa made a save before the ball reached him, but they’ve been checking for quite a while now.
Updated
GOAL! Nigeria 1-0 Cameroon (Ajayi 9)
Lookman’s corner was flapped away by Ondoa, who again came from his line to punch away the follow-up cross. The second clearance went only as far as a Nigeria player I DON’T KNOW WHO IT WAS OKAY* on the edge of the area. His shot was saved desperately by Ondoa – as was Ajayi’s follow-up, but on the second occasion he could only help the ball into the net.
* Edit: it was Moses Simon’s shot
Updated
8 min Tolo turns a Cameroon goalkick into a Nigeria corner with a needless intervention. From which…
6 min It’s been a cautious start, particularly from Cameroon. This game certainly has the potential to go the distance.
Updated
4 min Aina’s long throw from the right is headed towards goal by Osimhen, 10 yards out. Ondoa moves across his line to make a comfortable save.
2 min Both teams have started with a back three, so maybe you can trust what you read on Twitter.
1 min Peep peep! Nigeria kick off from right to left as we watch.
There are suggestions that Cameroon will play a back four. If so, their Twitter feed has a lot to answer for.
⚽️🔥 #MATCHDAY
— Les Lions Indomptables Officiel (@LIndomptables) January 27, 2024
Voici les XI #LionsIndomptables qui commencent le match. 💪🏾#NIGERIA 🇳🇬 🆚 🇨🇲 #CAMEROUN
📆 27/01/2024
⏰ 21H00 (heure du Cameroun)
🏟️ Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny
📍 Abidjan #NGRCMR | #WECANMAKEIT | #CANTOTALENERGIES2023 | #CMRMAU | #GOLIONS | #ALLEZLESLIONS pic.twitter.com/1OIcB5vrVe
Here come the players. Nigeria are wearing their dangerously stylish green strip. Cameroon are in their white change strip. While it’s not on a par with 1990 and 2002, it’s literally impossible for Cameroon to have a bad kit.
A reminder of the teams
📋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 📋
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 27, 2024
Tonight’s line-ups for the qualification ticket! 🎫 #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | #NGRCMR pic.twitter.com/Dlo8dOjE46
Read the last entry. I mean, read all of it, it’s great, but read the last entry first.
“Poverty is good for nothing, except perhaps for football”
Osasu Obayiuwana’s preview
Team news
The four Nigeria players who were rested or injured for the match Guinea-Bissau return tonight: the captain William Troost-Ekong, Alex Iwobi, Zaidu Sanusi and Ademola Lookman come in for Kenneth Omeruo, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Joe Aribo and Samuel Chukwueze.
Fabrice Ondoa is again preferred to Andre Onana in goal for Cameroon. They make two changes from that dramatic win over The Gambia. Oumar Gonzalez and Moumi Ngamaleu come in for Enzo Tchato Mbiayi and Darline Zidane Yongwa Ngameni.
Nigeria (3-4-2-1) Nwabali; Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey; Aina, Onyeka, Iwobi, Sanusi; Lookman, Simon; Osimhen.
Substitutes: Uzoho, Alhassan, Musa, Aribo, Chukwueke, Osayi, Iheanacho, Onuachu, Awaziem, Omeruo, Moffi, Onyedika.
Cameroon (3-4-2-1) Ondoa; Castelletto, Gonzalez, Wooh; Ngamaleu, Ntcham, Anguissa, Tolo; Toko, Nkoudou; Magri.
Substitutes: Moukoudi, Kemen, Vincent, Tchamadeu, Tchato, Yongwa, Neyou, Moumbagma, Elliott, Onana, Epassy, Njie.
Referee Redouane Jiyed (Morocco).
Starting XI vs #Cameroon#soarsupereagles #letsdoitagain #afcon2023 pic.twitter.com/PHqsnwOLMW
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) January 27, 2024
⚽️🔥 #MATCHDAY
— Les Lions Indomptables Officiel (@LIndomptables) January 27, 2024
Voici les XI #LionsIndomptables qui commencent le match. 💪🏾#NIGERIA 🇳🇬 🆚 🇨🇲 #CAMEROUN
📆 27/01/2024
⏰ 21H00 (heure du Cameroun)
🏟️ Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny
📍 Abidjan #NGRCMR | #WECANMAKEIT | #CANTOTALENERGIES2023 | #CMRMAU | #GOLIONS | #ALLEZLESLIONS pic.twitter.com/1OIcB5vrVe
Updated
Full time: Angola 3-0 Namibia
An emphatic win for Angola, who are into the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.
⌚️ FULL-TIME!
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 27, 2024
Gelson Dala & Mabululu star again as Angola beat Namibia with 3 goals to none. 🇦🇴#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | #ANGNAM pic.twitter.com/RUonPO2idt
The route to glory
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆. 🏆✨#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/AvCrYtL7oT
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 24, 2024
The winners of tonight’s game will play Angola in the quarter-final on Friday. They are 3-0 up against Namibia in the opening knockout match. It looked ominous for Angola when their keeper Neblu was sent off after 17 minutes for handling outside the area, but a five-minute spell before half-time turned the game their way.
Gatson Dala scored twice, and inbetween Namibia’s Lubeni Haukonogo was given a second yellow card. Dala then set up Mabululu to make it 3-0 in the 66th minute.
Preamble
Look, you probably don’t remember this, but trust me: if you’re of a certain age, let’s say over 45, and you’ve loved football since the womb, then you were agape at some stage on Sunday 24 June 1990. It was a unique day in football history, when two of the game’s greatest rivalries crashed World Cup the round of 16. Brazil v Argentina and West Germany v Netherlands could have been the semi-finals at Italia 90; instead they were on the same bill as Czechoslovakia v Costa Rica, Ireland v Romania and England v Belgium.
Neither game was a classic, but both had mouth-widening moments: Argentina’s luck, Diego Maradona’s assist, Frank Rijkaard’s expectoration, Jurgen Klinsmann’s rampage. And they ached with an intensity that was unprecedented for a last 16 game. At the best of times it’s unthinkable for Brazil, Argentina, West Germany and Netherlands to go out of a World Cup before the quarter-finals. To do so against their beloathed rivals meant, with apologies to Susanne Hoffs and haters of hyperbole, eternal shame for those involved.
There is a unique tension when two giants meet so early in a competition. Welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Afcon’s answer to 24 June 1990: Nigeria v Cameroon is arguably the biggest rivalry in African football and certainly one with a huge historical weight. Cameroon have won all three finals between the teams - including one in Nigeria 24 years ago, when the hosts scored a ghost goal in a penalty shootout. But Nigeria have won all the big meetings since then, most recently a ding-dong 3-2 victory at this stage of the 2019 competition.
Nigeria are strongish favourites tonight, having qualified comfortably – if a little shotshyly – from their group. Cameroon needed a bonkers comeback against The Gambia to qualify. Algeria, Ghana and Tunisia have already gone home; another big team is about to join them.
Kick off 8pm.
The last time we met the Lions at this stage in the Afcon it ended 3-2 in Alexandria
— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) January 27, 2024
Two goals from the tournament’s top scorer @ighalojude and a goal from @alexiwobi #letsdoitagain #soarsupereagles pic.twitter.com/gqPfPLnIz1
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