* Fancied teams were ousted defending champions Senegal, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria
* Angola on the brink of history at AFCON as they date Nigeria in first of the quarterfinal match tomorrow
* They reached their first quarterfinal in 2010 when they hosted Africa’s great football fiesta
Maravi Express
Many fancied contenders such as defending champions Senegal, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria have tumbled out early of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d’Ivoire 2023 and there is every chance of further upsets in the weekend’s quarterfinals, where hosts will hope to continue their unlikely redemption.
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One of the surprise packages at Côte d’Ivoire 2023 have been Confederation of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) member, Angola — reaching their first quarterfinal since they exited at that stage in 2010 when they hosted Africa’s great football fiesta.
It has already been a record-breaking tournament for the side in several different ways, and now they seek a first ever semifinal place when they take on Nigeria in the quarterfinals in Abidjan tomorrow.
Angola have been to nine AFCONs but never before this one had they claimed victory in more than one game — three wins. They managed pool stage success against Mauritania (3-2) and most impressively Burkina Faso (2-0), before a 3-0 win in the last-16 against fellow COSAFA member, Namibia.
Before this tournament, Angola had only managed four wins in 26 AFCON matches, a figure they can match in just five games in the Côte d’Ivoire and currently the Negras Parancas are on a four-game unbeaten run — including their opening 1-1 draw with Algeria.
It is the first time in their history they have won three games on the trot. Their best run of unbeaten games is five (W2 D3) straddling the 2006 and 2008 tournaments, a number they can match against Nigeria tomorrow .
Angola have already scored nine times in their four games to date in these finals, smashing their previous record as their highest tally previously was the six goals in four games they managed in 2010, while in total they had 30 goals from their 26 games prior to this year.
One more against Nigeria and they will have scored a third of that number in these finals alone.
The team’s forward has been in red-hot form and has four goals to date, placing him second so far in the race for the Golden Boot award, one behind ousted Equatorial Guinea star Emilio Nsue.
Gelson Dala
The 27-year-old, who plays his club football for Qatari side Al-Wakrah, netted a brace against Mauritania and two more versus Namibia in the Round of 16. That leaves him level with legend Manucho’s Angola record of four AFCON goals in a single tournament.
Dala, Angola, who has been named Man of the Match twice in this tournament, will carry the Angolans’ hopes of reaching the semifinals and he might not be the only one to hit a new best mark though, the exciting Mabululu has three goals so far in Côte d’Ivoire.
Should Angola advance against Nigeria it will be their first time past in the last-8 of the AFCON. They lost 2-1 to eventual champions Egypt in 2008 despite Manucho equalising in the first half, and then went down 1-0 to Ghana on home soil in 2010 with Asamoah Gyan getting the only goal after 15 minutes.
In pre-match interview, coach Pedro Gonçalves said: “Nigeria have a very large squad for this AFCON. If we take into account the market value of each team’s squad or even the starting eleven, we’ll have an idea of the disproportion in perspective.
“What counts in soccer is, above all, competence on the pitch at the exact moment of the competition. We are aware of our qualities, and we are well aware of our ambition.”
The Super Eagles secured their spot in this round of the tournament after defeating Cameroon 2-0 in the Round of 16 on courtesy of Ademola Lookman’s brace and the three-time AFCON champions are enjoying a four-match unbeaten run across all competitions having recorded three successive victories and one draw.
Nigeria could be without the duo of Stanley Nwabali and William Troost-Ekong who have been nursing injuries while on the other hand, Neblu will be missing as Angola’s first-choice goalkeeper is suspended after being sent off during the game against Namibia.
“Nigeria has a very large squad for this Afcon,” Angola coach Gonçalves said. “If we take into account the market value of each team’s squad or even the starting eleven, we’ll have an idea of the disproportion in perspective.
“What counts in soccer is, above all, competence on the pitch at the exact moment of the competition. We are aware of our qualities, and we are well aware of our ambition.” Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro said he is telling his players they are only in the last eight, as they still have some way to go and that the farther they go, the tougher the opposition becomes.
“We have played four matches and won three, so we must keep level heads as we go forward,” he said. “Our philosophy is that there are no small teams here at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“Any team in the last eight is good enough for the trophy. We believe we are good enough for the trophy, but we must continue working and putting out our best on match days.”
Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen
Player to watch for Nigeria — apart for 2023 African Player of Year Victor Osimhen is Ademola Lookman who has become a key player for the Super Eagles having grabbed two goals and one assist in this tournament, and he will be keen to continue his good form when he faces Angola.
Angola and Nigeria have met 10 times across all competitions with the Super Eagles registering three wins compared and Angola two while five games ended in a draw.
The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 2-1 win in favour of Nigeria in the 2018 Chan match played in Morocco in January 2018.—Reporting by Reuters, AFP & SuperSport
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