Atalanta Forward, Ademola Lookman grabbed the winning goal as the Super Eagles defeated Angola 1-0 in the quarter-finals on Friday to book a spot in the semi-finals of the ongoing 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
Nigeria had a promising start seconds into the game but couldn’t get a clean shot away with Ademola Lookman and Ola Aina making attempts inside the Angolan box.
Stanley Nwabali, in goal for the Super Eagles, was then forced to make an amazing save from the corner.
Gilberto headed the whipped ball on and Agostinho Mabululu almost steered the ball in with his side foot, only to be denied by Nwabali at his near post.
The Eagles then created two chances within the eighth minute with marauding forward Victor Osimhen beaten by the Palancas Negras goalkeeper Signori Dominique to Alex Iwobi’s cross inside the box and Ademola Lookman tried unsuccessfully to wreak havoc with a cross following a corner.
Both sides shared possession afterwards, but it was the Nigerians that opened score in the 41st minute through Lookman, his third goal of the tournament.
Lookman joins Odion Ighalo, Austin Okocha and Rashidi Yekini as the only Nigerians to have scored at least three goals in the knockout stages of a single AFCON tournament.
Simon raced down the left following a pass from Iwobi and the Nantes winger delivered a low cross to Lookman inside the box the Atalanta man made no mistake with his effort this time, smashing the ball into the roof of the net from close range, sending Dominique flying the wrong way.