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Nigeria and Cameroon are set to clash in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Saturday.
The Super Eagles finished second in Group A, while Rigobert Song’s team secured progression behind a perfect Senegal in Group C with a late comeback against The Gambia.
In Nigeria’s final Group A game against Guinea-Bissau, they were not at their best, but Jose Peseiro’s team managed to secure maximum points and qualify in second place with seven points.
Despite being the top creators, Nigeria has struggled to score, netting only three times in AFCON 2023 and facing concerns about Victor Osimhen’s finishing. The African Footballer of the Year’s expected goals (xG) underperformance is the worst at the tournament.
Peseiro emphasized the need for improvement in execution in the knockout rounds, realizing that relying solely on defensive performance might lead to early elimination.
The upcoming match against the Indomitable Lions holds historical significance as both teams have a long-standing rivalry, with Cameroon’s 2000 success in Lagos still lingering in the memories of Super Eagles supporters.
Despite Cameroon’s 2017 championship, they have lost their grip in recent encounters with Nigeria, being winless in the last three competitive meetings, including a 3-2 loss at the 2019 finals in Egypt.
Cameroon’s strategy, relying heavily on crossing, was evident in their group-stage games. However, whether this approach will work against a defensively solid Super Eagles side remains uncertain.
The recent forms of both teams show Nigeria’s consistency with a record of DWW in the Africa Cup of Nations and DDLDWW in all competitions. On the other hand, Cameroon’s form indicates a struggle with DLW in AFCON and WDDDLW in all competitions.
As the two teams renew their hostilities, the outcome of this clash will depend on how well Nigeria can address their scoring issues and whether Cameroon can break their recent winless streak against their rivals.
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