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Troost-Ekong, Simon wary of Angola

By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 30, 2024

Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has admitted that their quarter-final clash against Angola on Friday could prove to be the toughest yet for the Eagles, but adds that the team will be ready for the battle, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Troost-Ekong, who is closing in on his second semi-final berth at the AFCON warned that the Eagles must be more clinical as they prepare to take on Angola in their fifth AFCON encounter.

Both teams have one win each and two draws in their last four meetings at the tournament.

“We can no longer expect any easy games,” Troost-Ekong said in a statement made available to PUNCH Sports Extra.

“In truth, there have not been easy games here. We have played Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Cameroon, and none has turned out to be a picnic.

“From the quarter-finals, it will be a lot tougher because all the teams will believe they are good enough for the trophy.

“We are discussing among ourselves what we have to do. There is no resting on our oars. We saw Guinea eliminate Equatorial Guinea, which emerged as the best team in Group A.

“Football is like that. We must be alert for the entire period and do our best to convert the chances that we create.”

Winger Moses Simon also admitted that it would not be a stroll-in-the-park at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Friday.

“It is going to be a difficult game, like the ones against Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon, and even Equatorial Guinea. We must be at our best and focus on the prize.”

Clashes between Nigeria and Angola at international level have been few and far between, but Nigeria has a couple of scores to settle with the southern African nation.

Late Nigerian midfielder Samuel Okwaraji slumped and died during a 1990 World Cup qualifier against Angola on August 12, 1989, with the Eagles eventually failing to qualify for the Mundial.

Angola also famously stopped Nigeria from reaching the 2006 World Cup finals, beating the three-time African champions 1-0 in Luanda, before holding them 1-1 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano in 2005.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 30, 2024