Nigeria vs Angola Prediction: Super Eagles & Antelopes to carry on scoring run

The first game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals takes place in Abidjan on Friday evening (KO, 17:00), as Nigeria face Angola at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.

Nigeria endured a difficult start to the competition as they drew 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea in their Group A opener, but back-to-back 1-0 wins against Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau saw them qualify in second place for the Round of 16, where they outclassed Cameroon 2-0.

Angola, meanwhile, were the third-lowest ranked African nation heading into AFCON, but after drawing 1-1 with Algeria in their first match, the Black Sable Antelopes beat Mauritania 3-2 and Burkina Faso 2-0 to clinch top spot in Group D, before demolishing Namibia 3-0 in the knockouts.

The winner of Friday's tie will face Cape Verde or South Africa in Bouake next Wednesday.

Team News

After starting the tournament with a four-man defence, the switch to three centre-backs looks to have served Nigeria well, with the Super Eagles recording three straight clean sheets.

An unchanged starting XI looks likely, with Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman supporting Victor Osimhen in attack.

Angola will be missing a key figure in their side on Friday, with first-choice goalkeeper Neblu shown a red card early on against Namibia. Signori Antonio came on for the 30-year-old, and looks set to deputise once again.

Match Odds

Nigeria are 8/13 to win inside 90 minutes on Friday and progress to the semi-finals for the first time since 2013, when they won the competition in South Africa. Angola, meanwhile, can be backed at 5/1 to claim victory, while the draw - which would send the tie into extra-time - can be found at 11/5.

Both teams to score in Abidjan is 6/4 and it's 13/8 for over 2.5 goals.

Both Teams To Score - Yes @ 6/4

Nigeria have kept three clean sheets on the bounce after changing formation, but their next assignment sees them take on a side who have scored in all four games at the AFCON.

Angola have found the net eight times in their last three matches, and they have two players - Gelson Dala (four goals) and Mabululu (three) - chasing Emilio Nsue in the top scorer charts.

Nigeria have scored in every match themselves in Ivory Coast, so we can expect goals from both sides at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny.

Ademola Lookman to score anytime @ 13/5

The Atalanta attacker was the star of the show against Cameroon as his brace fired the Super Eagles into the quarter-finals, and 13/5 looks an enticing price to back him to find the net again on Friday.

Osimhen is the obvious shout to grab a goal, but the Napoli star hasn't scored since Nigeria's opening game on January 14, and has cut an increasingly frustrated figure.

Lookman can take advantage of the man-marking job on Osimhen and profit once again.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.