Cote d'Ivoire/Nigeria: Afcon 2023 - Indomitable Lions Arrive in Abidjan for Round of 16 Clash With Super Eagles

26 January 2024
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Tunde Eludini

Five-time African champions, Cameroon, arrived in Abidjan on Thursday to reignite the historic rivalry with three-time champions, Nigeria.

The stage is set for a titanic clash in the AFCON Round of 16 as the Super Eagles of Nigeria prepare to face off against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday.

Five-time African champions, Cameroon, arrived in Abidjan on Thursday, ready to reignite their historic rivalry with the three-time champions, Nigeria

Cameroon's legend, Rigobert Song, led the Indomitable Lions to Abidjan after prosecuting their group phase games in Yamoussoukro. They arrived on Thursday in Cote d'Ivoire's commercial and industrial capital for Saturday's potentially explosive encounter with the Super Eagles.

Les #LionsIndomptables sont à Abidjan. #NGRGAM | #WECANMAKEIT | #CANTOTALENERGIES2023 | #CMRMAU | #GOLIONS | #ALLEZLESLIONS | #LETSROARTOGETHER | #INDOMPTABLES | pic.twitter.com/p03lVHbh7j-- Les Lions Indomptables Officiel (@LIndomptables) January 25, 2024

While Nigeria cruised through the group stage undefeated, collecting seven points, Cameroon's path was more turbulent.

Battered 3-1 by the defending champions, Senegal, they needed a last-gasp victory over The Gambia to secure their place in the knockout rounds, and going into Saturday's game, the Super Eagles enjoy a more favourable record.

Eagles are slight favourites

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Nigeria and Cameroon have clashed in 17 competitive matches since their first match in the Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah Cup on 8th December 1962, which Nigeria won 3-1.

Of those 17 matches, Cameroon has won only four--three in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984, 1988, and 2000.

The only other time Cameroon beat Nigeria in a competitive match was on 27th August 1989, when Francois Omam Biyick scored the only goal in Yaounde that eliminated Nigeria from the race to the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals in Italy.

Nigeria has won nine of the other 13 matches, including a 2-1 win over Cameroon in the bronze medal match of the 1992 AFCON; a 2-0 triumph in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Ibadan; and a 3-2 win in Yaounde in a 1970 World Cup qualifier.

Others are a 2-1 win in Monastir in a 2004 AFCON quarter-final; a 4-0 win in Uyo in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier; and a 3-2 win in Alexandria in a 2019 AFCON Round of 16 clash.

Besides the better head-to-head record, the Super Eagles receive a boost from having the Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, in their squad.

Another advantage is that the Super Eagles have more familiarity with the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, where they pipped Guinea-Bissau 1-0 on Monday to make sure of their place in this competition's Round of 16.

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