* This is only the second meeting between Angola and Namibia at the AFCON
* The other was a 3-3 draw in the 1998 group stages in which Namibia were 2-0 and 3-1
* Nigeria and Cameroon are set to meet for the first time since doing so at this stage in 2019
* With the Super Eagles winning 3-2 with goals from Odion Ighalo (x2) and Alex Iwobi
Maravi Express
Angola will take on fellow Confederation of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) member, Namibia in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Côte d’Iovire 2023 this evening from 19:00hrs while Nigeria face Cameroon — a fixture that has been the AFCON final three times previously.
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The Palancas Negras of Angola, who topped their group with seven points ahead of Burkina Faso and Mauritania, will play the side that finished third in Group E behind Mali and South Africa.
Match facts
* This is only the second meeting between Angola and Namibia at the AFCON — the other was a 3-3 draw in the 1998 group stages, a game in which Namibia were 2-0 and 3-1 ahead;
* Angola and Namibia haven’t met in any competition since a November 2015 friendly at the Estádio 11 de Novembro, won 1-0 by Angola;
* This is only Angola’s third ever match at the AFCON in the knockout stages – their other two were quarter-final defeats in 2008 (1-2 vs Egypt) and 2010 (0-1 vs Ghana);
* Namibia are featuring in the AFCON knockout stages for the first time. They’ve only won one of their 12 group stage matches (D3 L8), with that coming on MD1 this year against Tunisia;
* Angola have won two matches at the Côte d’Ivoire 2023, the first time they’ve ever won two games at one edition of AFCON and the first time they’ve won back-to-back games in the tournament. The six goals they netted in this year’s group stages were as many as they scored across the 2012, 2013 and 2019 tournaments combined (6 in 9 games);
* Namibia qualified for this year’s AFCON knockout stages as one of the four best third-place ranked teams; they scored just one goal and had a goal difference of -3, becoming only the seventh side to progress from a group despite netting just one goal;
* Only Tanzania (12) had fewer shots in the Côte d’Ivoire 2023 group stage than Namibia managed (22). Indeed, of the 16 qualified teams, only Mauritania (17) faced more shots on target in the group stage than Namibia did (14);
* In the group stage, Namibia completed the fewest passes (545) and were the only side with a passing accuracy lower than 70% across their three games (67.5%);
* Angola have had four different scorers at this year’s AFCON (Mabululu, Gelson Dala, Gilberto, Zine), their joint most at a single edition along with 1998 (Lázaro Oliveira, Paulo Jorge Da Silva, Miguel Pereira & Quinzinho);
* Both Mabululu and Gelson Dala have two goals apiece for Angola at this year’s AFCON. Only two players have ever netted three goals at one edition for Angola: Manucho (4 in 2008, 3 in 2012) and Flávio (3 in 2006, 3 in 2010).
Nigeria v Cameroon
* The Super Eagles finished second in Group A with seven points while the Indomitable Lions also took second place in their Group C to set up this titanic clash;
* It’s a fixture that has been the AFCON final three times previously (1984, 1988 and 2000), Nigeria and Cameroon are set to face at the Côte d’Ivoire 2023 for the first time since doing so at this stage in 2019, with the Super Eagles winning 3-2 with goals from Odion Ighalo (x2) and Alex Iwobi;
* Cameroon won two of their first three AFCON matches against Nigeria (D1) but have since lost three of their last four (D1). Indeed, the Indomitable Lions have only lost more AFCON matches against Egypt (4) than they have against Nigeria (3);
* For their 15th consecutive AFCON, Nigeria have reached the knockout stages. Excluding third-place play-off matches, Nigeria have been eliminated in their last two knockout ties (2019 semi-finals, 2021 last 16) after winning four in a row beforehand;
* Cameroon’s last two knockout games have gone to penalties (lost in 2021 semi-finals vs Egypt & won in 2021 third-place play-off vs Burkina Faso). Only Côte d’Ivoire (10) have featured in more AFCON penalty shootouts than the Indomitable Lions (9);
* Nigeria have won six of their last eight matches at the AFCON (D1 L1) but their only defeat in this sequence was in a 1-0 reverse against Tunisia at the last 16 stage in the 2021 edition;
* Cameroon reached the knockout stage despite conceding six goals in the group stage, their most in the groups since 1996 (7). It was the first time they’d progressed from an AFCON group stage despite having a negative goal difference (5 scored, 6 conceded);
* Nigeria have both played in (40), and won (22) more matches in the knockout stages of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations than any other nation;
* Excluding own goals, each of Cameroon’s last 21 goals at the AFCON have been scored by players who were playing their club football in either Saudi Arabia (9) or France (12) at the time of scoring; the last player to do so for a non-French or Saudi club was Yaya Banana in 2019, who was playing in Greece;
* 2023 African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen had 13 shots and created four chances in the Côte d’Ivoire 2023 group stage, the most shots and chances created combined of any Nigeria player. Indeed, it’s the most by a Nigeria player in an AFCON group stage that Opta has on record since 2010;
* No player created more chances in the Côte d’Ivoire 2023 group stages than Cameroon’s Georges-Kévin Nkoudou (10). It was the most by a Cameroonian player at the group stage of AFCON since Benjamin Moukandjo in 2017 (12).
* Winners between Angola and Namibia will face either Nigeria or Cameroon in the quarterfinals on February 2.—Info from CAFonline
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