Eagles to face Lions in last-16 clash

The Africa Cup of Nations is heating up as Nigeria and Cameroon prepare to face off in the round of 16 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Saturday.

This is a highly anticipated match as these two teams have a long-standing rivalry that always makes for an exciting game.

Nigeria finished second in Group A, while Cameroon progressed behind Senegal in Group C.

The Eagles will be looking to avoid another round of 16 AFCON exit as they were dumped out at this stage by Tunisia at the last edition in Cameroon.

In a bid to reach his first ever AFCON quarter-final, Jose Peseiro, the coach of Nigeria, has hinted that he will maintain the 3-4-3 formation that saw his team edge past both AFCON hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea Bissau by the odd goal.

However, Peseiro’s side has struggled for goals at the tournament, netting only three times despite heading into the knockout stage as the competition’s top creators, fashioning more clear-cut chances than the other 23 sides.

On the other hand, Cameroon’s head coach, Rigobert Song, has revealed that he is aware of the threat Nigeria poses to his team’s chances of reaching the quarter-final and has a comprehensive strategy in place to curtail the fearsome attack of the Eagles led by Victor Osimhen.

With reports pointing to the return of Vincent Aboubakar from injury, Cameroon could be tempted to play the centre-forward from the start against the Eagles.

This match promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams eager to secure their place in the quarter-finals.

The Nigerian Football Federation Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen, believes that the Eagles can soar over the Indomitable Lions if they play with flair and flexibility.

Fans of both teams will be eagerly anticipating this match, which is sure to be a highlight of the tournament.

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