Nigeria and Cameroon renew Africa Cup of Nations hostilities in the round of 16 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Saturday.
The Super Eagles finished second behind Equatorial Guinea in Group A, while Rigobert Song’s men relied on a late comeback against The Gambia to progress behind a perfect Senegal in Group C.
Nigeria were turgid in their final game of Group A against winless Guinea-Bissau, but Jose Peseiro’s men secured maximum points to finish with seven points and qualify in second.
The Super Eagles have struggled for goals at AFCON 2023, netting three times despite heading into the knockout stage as the competition’s top creators, fashioning more clear-cut chances (13) than the other 23 sides.
Victor Osimhen’s finishing has been suboptimal in games against Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau, and the African Footballer of the Year’s expected goals under performance is the worst at the continental showpiece.
The Super Eagles need their talisman back on form as the competition enters the crucial stage, as relying on their defensive performance may prove fatal if chances cannot be converted at the other end.
This is not lost on Peseiro, who warned his side to improve their execution in the knockout rounds to avoid early elimination, and it remains to be seen if anything changes against the Indomitable Lions today.
Both sides have a long-standing rivalry at the Cup of Nations, with Cameroon’s 2000 success in the decider in Lagos at the turn of the millennium still hurtful to many Super Eagles supporters.
The 2017 champions have lost their stranglehold in this conflict, with the Indomitable Lions winless in the last three competitive meetings between the nations, including a 3-2 loss at the 2019 finals in Egypt.
It remains to be seen if Song’s side turns the tide this weekend, but the Lions must improve on group-stage performances to outdo a Super Eagles side that have given little away defensively.
Cameroon’s reliance on crossing was evident throughout their games with Guinea, Senegal and The Gambia, with their first game against a shorthanded Syli National underscoring that approach.
Whether that works against a side displaying greater coherence is questionable, but Song’s side are unlikely to change tack against their age-old rivals in the round of 16.
Nigeria vs Cameroon Head-to-Head
18 Mar 1984: Cameroon won their first AFCON by thrashing Nigeria in the final 3-1, kicking off a rivalry that would captivate football fans for decades,
17 Mar 1988: Cameroon and Nigeria played an entertaining 1-1 draw in the group stages of the 1988 AFCON in Morocco as both teams would eventually meet again in the final.
27 Mar 1988: The Green Eagles lost a second AFCON final to the Indomitable Lions, losing 1-0 in Casablanca, Morocco.
25 Jan 1992: Nigeria turned the tide in this encounter, emerging victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, signalling a shift in the balance of power.
13 Feb 2000: Nigeria lost a third AFCON final to Cameroon, losing via penalties after both teams had played an entertaining 2-2 draw in front of the Nigerian supporters.
08 Feb 2004: Nigeria secured a crucial 2-1 victory on Cameroonian soil, marking a significant milestone in their AFCON rivalry.
06 Jul 2019: In their most recent AFCON clash, Nigeria emerged triumphant with a thrilling 3-2 win, knocking out the Indomitable Lions in the round of 16.
The complete AFCON Round of 16 matches:
Angola vs Namibia
Saturday 27th January, 6 pm
Nigeria vs Cameroon
9pm Nigerian Time, Saturday 27th January, 2024 9 pm
Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea
Sunday 28th January, 2024
Egypt vs Democratic Republic of Congo
9pm Nigerian Time, Sunday 28th January, 2024 9 pm
Cape Verde vs Mauritania
Monday 29th January, 2024 6 pm
Senegal vs Ivory Coast
Monday 29th January 9 pm
Mali vs Burkina Faso
Tuesday 30th January, 6 pm