AFCON: Nigeria to play Cameroon in second round clash on Saturday

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, yesterday, earned the right to meet the Super Eagles in the second round of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations after a pulsating 3-2 defeat of The Gambia in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire.

The Lions earned their passage the hard way, coming from 1-2 down after 89 minutes to win 3-2 after 99 minutes.

Senegal won Group C with nine points following a 2-0 victory over Guinea, courtesy of second-half goals from Abdoulaye Seck and Iliman Ndiaye. Guinea, who were second going into yesterday’s matches, dropped to third on the same four points with Cameroon.

Nigeria qualified for the second round after a 1-0 defeat of Guinea Bissau on Monday, which gave them seven points from three games, same as Equatorial Guinea, who topped the group on superior goals difference.

The last time Nigeria met Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, the Super Eagles ran out 3-2 victors with Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi scoring for the Super Eagles. But before then, Nigeria and Cameroon had been involved in classic clashes at the Africa Cup of Nations, with the Indomitable Lions beating the Super Eagles twice in the final to win the championship in 1984 and 2000.

Nigeria had the upper hand in 1992, beating the Cameroonians in the third place match at the championship in Senegal. The Super Eagles also defeated Cameroun in the quarterfinals at the Tunisia 2004 edition before the 2019 victory in Egypt.