By VICTOR OKOYE (NAN)

Nigeria’s Super Eagles blockbuster clash with the Palancas Negras of Angola will be one of eight exciting matchups fans will be seated to witness this weekend.

This is as the quarter-finals promises much more upsets with no pushovers left in African football.

This clash for Nigeria, will be one to get one back over the Negras who in June 2005 prevented the Super Eagles from qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, almost 20 years ago.

Led then by coach Oliveira Gonçalves, Angola pulled off one of Africa’s biggest World Cup qualifying upsets to appear in their first and only World’s biggest football event instead of Nigeria.

A showdown that pitches the best-ranked FIFA CAF team still alive in the tournament (Nigeria; 42^nd in the world and 6^th in Africa) against the lowest-ranked (Angola; 117 in the world and 28^th in Africa), but that’s just a statistic.

Indeed, if anything has been proven in this edition of the African tournament, it’s that being a favourite doesn’t necessarily bring good luck.

Just ask Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, or Morocco, whose elimination at the hands of South Africa continues to surprise everyone.

Nigeria has been a force to reckon with in African football since the inception of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The West African nation has made 20 appearances and won three AFCON titles, and has been ever present in the knockout phase of this competition.

The same cannot be said of Angola who is yet to get their maiden AFCON trophy after eight appearances in the biennial tournament.

Nigeria and Angola will be squaring up against each other for the first time in the AFCON and it will be happening at the quarter-final stage.

This will be the 17^th time Nigeria’s senior national football team appears in the quarter-finals of the AFCON.

Nigeria’s first was in 1976 when it was hosted in Ethiopia; Morocco were the eventual winners, while Nigeria finished in third place.

Meanwhile, the last time the Super Eagles got to this stage was in 2019 when they battled South Africa.

The match ended In a 2-1 victory for Nigeria with Samuel Chukwueze and William Troost-Ekong scoring on the day, while Bongani Zungu scored for Bafana Bafana.

Nigeria went on to finish in third place with Algeria taking home the AFCON trophy.

This time around, Jose Peseiro’s boys will be up for the challenge posed by the Negras who stand in their way for a place in the AFCON semi-finals.

The Black Sable Antelopes have not appeared at this stage of the competition many times. As a matter of fact, this will be just their third time in the quarter-finals.

Angola made their first ever appearance at the AFCON quarter-finals in 2008 when it was hosted in Ghana.

The Angolan team lost 2-1 to Egypt in the quarter-finals on Feb. 4, 2008; the Pharaohs would go on to win the title.

The Palancas Negras will again march on to their second successive AFCON last eight in 2010 when they became hosts of the tournament.

However, their home advantage could not steer them over this stage as they fell 0-1 to Ghana from a 15^th minute strike from Asamoah Gyan on Jan. 24, 2010; Egypt also won this edition of the tournament.

Nigeria progressed into this stage after beating Cameroon 2-0 in the Round of 16 from an Ademola Lookman’s double.

On the other hand, Angola qualified for the quarter-finals after recording an emphatic 3-0 victory over the Brave Warriors of Namibia with Gelson Dala scoring twice and a third goal coming from Mabululu.

Peseiro and his squad are acutely aware of the need for meticulous preparation, with a particular emphasis on understanding and neutralising the strengths of their Angolan opponents.

Peseiro’s tactical acumen will be tested in devising a game plan that not only nullifies these key adversaries, but also exploits potential weaknesses in the Angolan lineup.

There are three key Angolan players the Super Eagles must be cautious of throughout the anticipated quarterfinal encounter.

At the forefront of Angola’s attacking prowess stands Gelson Dala, a forward whose goal-scoring abilities have been pivotal for the team.

Dala’s pace, clinical finishing and ability to exploit defensive lapses make him a potent threat in the final third.

Super Eagles’ defenders need to maintain a tight leash on Dala, denying him the space and opportunities he thrives on.

There is also Zito Luvumbo, who is known for his explosive pace, dribbling finesse, and the ability to unsettle opposing defenses, posing a significant threat on the flanks.

Zito started Angola’s opener against Algeria and played the role of an impact substitute in their last three games at the AFCON.

The 21-year-old’s unpredictable style of play and knack for creating goal-scoring opportunities makes him a key figure in Angola’s offensive strategy.

The Super Eagles defence must remain vigilant to counter his dynamic movements and prevent him from unleashing his full attacking potential.

Last, but not the least is Manuel Cafumana. The commanding Maccabi Haifa midfielder is characterised by his exceptional ball control, vision, and strategic passing abilities.

Cafumana serves as the linchpin in Angola’s midfield. His capacity to dictate the tempo of the game and distribute precise passes to unlock opposing defenses makes him a formidable presence.

The Super Eagles’ journey through the AFCON hinges on their ability to effectively meet the challenge posed by these standout players, and emerge victorious in this high-stakes encounter.

As three-time AFCON winners, Nigeria is expected to have too much quality and experience for their opponents on paper.

Victor Osimhen, recently crowned African Player of the Year, leads a Super Eagles attack along with the in-form Lookman.

They also boast the meanest defence, having conceded just once and have found the best strategic formation to be competitive in this AFCON.

At the beginning of the tournament, they started with a 4-3-3 formation and then subsequently adopted a 3-4-3 formation.

This formation makes the wingers very solid and physical with the capacity to go back and forth either in a defensive or attacking position.

Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, Zaidu Sanusi, Moses Simon, Chukwueze as well as Alex Iwobi, and Frank Onyeka are some of the other players Peseiro will be relying upon to deliver the goods for Nigeria.

We have already seen shocking results, great goals, unbelievable saves, and huge upsets that have characterised this edition of Africa’s biggest football fiesta.

This AFCON has indeed been full of surprises, and another could be in store on Friday if a revitalised Angolan side can defy the odds against giants Nigeria.

Could this be the end of their fairytale tale AFCON journey? Only time will tell as Africa awaits with fainted breath. (NANFeatures)

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