Super Eagles battle Angola in q’final showdown

COOLING BREAK! We are into half an hour mark. Still goalless in Abidjan.

23′ An inch-perfect cross from Simon on the right to Osimhen but the Angolan goalkeeper calmly picks the resulting header.

17′ Aina shackled down for a free kick to Nigeria.

16′ Super Eagles gradually finding their rhythm. Osimhen earlier had his dumping header over the post.

08′ Lookman crowded out when having a shot after a nice cross from Simon.

07′ Iwobi whips in a cross to find Osimhen but the Angolan defender clears it for a corner kick.

04′ Fantastic safe by Nwabali to deny Mabululu at point blank. The Angolans starting to turn on the heat early in the game

KICK OFF! Nigeria gets us underway

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Hello and welcome to PUNCH Online’s coverage of this all-important African Cup of Nations quarter-final game between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Angola’s Palancas Negras from the Felix Houphouet -Biogny, Abidjan Cote’de’Ivoire.

In the other round, the Eagles, chasing a fourth championship, beat five-time champions, Cameroon while Pedro Soares Goncalves’ side who have already set their best group stage record, went a step further beating Namibia 3-0.

TEAM NEWS: Goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali who picked up an injury against Cameroon starts in goal.  Two-goal hero on Saturday, Ademola Lookman, joins African best footballer, Victor Osimhen upfront as coach Jose Peseiro named an unchanged lineup.

NIGERIA XI: Stanley Nwabali, Troost Ekong (captain), Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon and Victor Osimhen

For Angola, First-choice goalkeeper Neblu who saw red in the last game has been replaced by Signori Antonio in the line-up. Gelson Dala and Mabululu, who have both combined for seven of the nine goals netted by the Palancas Negras start tonight

ANGOLA XI: Antonio Signori, Jonathan Buatu, Kialonda Gaspar, A. To Carneiro, Eddie Afonso, Fredy, Estrela, Show, Gilberto, Gelson Dala, A. Mabulul

The game kicks off at 6 pm.