8th meeting between Super Eagles, Indomitable Lions, with quarterfinal place at stake

The eighth meeting between Nigeria and Cameroon at a Nations Cup tournament has a lot at stake, as both African giants seek a quarterfinal ticket.

Saturday’s encounter, scheduled for the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, promises to be a fiery affair, not just for the high stakes involved but also for the deep-seated rivalry that exists between these two African football giants.

Both teams come into the match with contrasting fortunes from the group stage, but form flies out of the window in a derby as fiery as this one.

While Nigeria finished second in Group A with seven points, including beating hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon’s Lions were far from convincing. They needed a 91st-minute header from defender Christopher Wooh to eke out a 3-2 win over Gambia, which qualified them into the round of 16.

Long rivalry

Both sides have a long-standing rivalry at the Cup of Nations, with Cameroon’s first AFCON trophy win coming 40 years ago in the same venue for Saturday’s clash.

Cameroon’s 2000 success right there in Lagos at the turn of the millennium remains a hurtful memory to many Super Eagles supporters.

The Super Eagles have been on the ascendancy over the Indomitable Lions in the last three competitive meetings between the nations, including a 3-2 victory at AFCON 2019 in Egypt.

Having admitted they were not good enough in the group stage, Cameroon coach Rigobert Song has promised to fashion out a winning formula this weekend as he looks to outshine a Super Eagles side that has given so little away defensively, conceding only one goal in three games.

For Cameroon, the problem is not scoring goals, having scored six goals in three games, but in defending, as they have leaked five goals in the same number of games.

This Saturday, both teams will put aside historical records and past encounters as they fight for a place in the last eight.

Words before the game

“It’s a difficult match. We are in the round of 16 and playing against a great team. We don’t want to concede; we want to score a goal and maintain our lead. We expect that history will not repeat itself at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

Even if the statistics are not for us, we are going to play. It is a mission that has been entrusted to us, and we are going to try to carry it out. We want to win; we want to stay in this tournament until the end.” – José Peseiro, Nigeria coach

“We feel good. We take the matches one after the other, and we hope to do like in the previous matches. In 2019, we played against Cameroon; we know they are strong, and I think today they are better than in 2019, and we also improved as well. We know their weak points, and so we will take the match as it comes.” – Moses Simon, Nigeria striker

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“We know what we need to do and where we need to go. We have prepared and remain focused. We started slowly, moving up gradually. At this stage of the competition, I think there are no more things to look for.

In three matches, I no longer have the right to calculate; I have to correct what didn’t work. I will do everything necessary to obtain a positive result.” – Rigobert Song, Cameroon coach

“We prepared well, and the atmosphere is good in the group. We are going to stay in the same state of mind and continue to give the best of us. We are going to approach this match with 200% effort. We are going to give everything on the pitch, like we did against Gambia. We are not going to give up.” – Faris Pemi Moumbagna, Cameroon striker

Team News

Peseiro’s watchword seems to be, if it is not broken, then don’t fix it.

The Portuguese manager, who stuck with a back three against an already-eliminated Guinea-Bissau, will probably continue with that formation for the rest of the competition.

Alhassan Yussuf and William Troost-Ekong should return to the squad after they resumed full training with the rest of the squad.

Ekong is expected to marshal the defence, but it is uncertain if Yusuf will be involved unless the Super Eagles revert to a back four or alter the 3-4-2-1 for a 3-5-2.

Moses Simon may likely get the nod over Ademola Lookman, while Zaidu Sanusi is expected to start against the Lions of Cameroon.

Song dropped Andre Onana for the five-time African champions’ final group game with Gambia, and the Manchester United goalkeeper’s place is uncertain before Saturday’s game.

With reports of Vincent Aboubakar’s fit-again status, Cameroon could be tempted to play the centre-forward from the off against the three-time AFCON winners.

Nigeria’s probable starting lineup:

Nwabali; Aina, Bassey, Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey; Iwobi, Onyeka; Chukwueze, Osimhen, Simon

Cameroon’s probable starting lineup:

Ondoa; Castelletto, Wooh, Tolo; Mbiayi, Ntcham, Anguissa, Yongwa; Ekambi, Aboubakar, N’Koudou

Prediction: Nigeria 5 (1-1) 4 Cameroon on penalties