Nigeria, Angola Set for Semifinal Spot Battle
Nigeria will go head-tohead with Angola for a place in the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) semifinals when they lock horns at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Tangier on Sunday.
The home-based Super Eagles booked their place in the last eight as Group C winners, while Palancas Negras finished second in Group D, two points behind Congo-Brazzaville who take on Libya for a place in the semifinals.
Angola, though, are also unbeaten in the tournament and are yet to concede a goal, while their only goal came from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win over Cameroon.
Nigeria head coach Salisu Yusuf was delighted with his team's performance against Equatorial Guinea, coming from a goal down to win 3-1.
“We passed a great test of character and the team should be commended. The goal by Equatorial Guinea stunned us because we did not expect it. But good enough we fought back in the second half to win,” said Yusuf.
Captain Ikechukwu Ezenwa emphasized the fact that Nigeria need to take their chances if they are to advance into the next round.
“We have to play to win and we hope to take our chances. We are looking forward to our next game, we hope to be in the semifinal. The solidarity and the spirit in the team have carried us this far and we hope to continue to work hard,” Ezenwa added.
The winner will take on either Sudan or Zambia for a place in the final of this year's continental competition hosted in Morocco.
Meanwhile, surprise quarterfinal- ists Namibia are eager to confront hosts and title favourites Morocco today in a packed Casablanca Stadium.
The match at the 65 000-seat Stade Mohammed V kicks off the last-eight phase of the competition for home-based footballers with Zambia facing Sudan in Marrakech later the same day.
Only the outcome of the clash between Morocco and Namibia appears predictable with few neutrals giving the southern African nation any chance of survival.
But Namibia coach Ricardo Mannetti, who played professionally in South Africa and was a midfielder in the national team, begs to differ.
"All the pressure is on Morocco," he told AFP. "They are the host nation, are ranked among the top five African football nations, and are expected to win this tournament.
"We are looking forward to taking them on in front of a packed crowd that will include very few supporters of Namibia.
"My boys are tired of playing in nearempty stadiums. Very few people saw us shock the Ivory Coast and Uganda and hold Zambia.
"We are desperate to show what we are capable of before a large audience. Playing in front of a small crowd is no fun."
Mannetti, who guided Namibia to the regional COSAFA Cup title three years ago, says being dismissed as "no-hopers" before the Morocco tournament has worked to their advantage.
"I believe some Ivoirians and Ugandans assumed playing Namibia meant three points. That worked in our favour. My boys vowed to show them we were no pushovers."
The furthest Morocco, whose squad includes five-goal leading tournament scorer Ayoub el Kaabi, have gone previously is the quarterfinals, losing to Nigeria four years ago.
They hammered Mauritania 4-0 and Guinea 3-1 during the group phase in Casablanca before missing a penalty in a 0-0 draw with Sudan having rested 10 first-choices, including El Kaabi.