7 times Nigeria, Cameroon have clashed at AFCON

With Nigeria and Cameroon set to face off on Saturday night in what will be their eight encounter at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), here is a flashback into the seven meetings between both sides in the competition:

1.1984 AFCON FINAL MATCH: Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan


Coach Adegboye Onigbinde substituted Patrick Okala for Peter Rufai, who had been injured in a brutal semi-final against Egypt that went to penalties four days earlier. Bala Ali, who scored the equalizer in that game, began instead of Chibuzor Ehilegbu. Clement Temile, who scored twice against Malawi in the group stage, began from the bench, as did Stephen Keshi, Kingsley Paul, Paul Okoku, Muda Lawal, Humphrey Edobor, Yisa Sofoluwe, and James Etokebe.




Etokebe ran to Edobor’s through pass and made a pull-out that Cameroon’s Antoine-Bell botched, allowing Muda Lawal to score Nigeria’s goal. A free-kick late in the first half touched Keshi’s head, flying past Okala for the equalizer, and Abega put Cameroon ahead before Eugene Ekoule scored the winner. Cameroon used their extensive expertise and exposure at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, where they advanced from the group stage without losing any of their matches against Poland, Peru, or eventual victors Italy.

2. 1988 AFCON GROUP PHASE MATCH: Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, Rabat

Samuel Okwaraji, who had only joined the squad the previous year, scored after two minutes with a scorching left-footed effort, but Cameroon equalized 20 minutes later with a header by Roger Milla, which the Nigeria defence mistook for offside. The draw came after Kenya’s 3-0 defeat, meaning Nigeria simply needed a draw against Egypt (which they obtained) to advance to the semifinals.

Goalkeeper Peter Rufai, defenders Yisa Sofoluwe, Andrew Uwe, Sunday Eboigbe, and Bright Omokaro, midfielders Henry Nwosu and Ademola Adeshina, and strikers Okwaraji and Rashidi Yekini were among those that featured.

3. 1988 AFCON FINAL MATCH: Stade King Mohamed V, Casablanca

Nigeria, who had survived another challenging semi-final, going to a penalty shootout with Algeria after a 1-1 draw after normal and extra time, began brightly, with Ndubuisi Okosieme on the right, Humphrey Edobor on the left, and livewire Henry Nwosu everywhere.

Henry Nwosu’s powerful header from Sam Okwaraji’s pull-out on the right flew past Antoine-Bell, but referee Idrissa Sarr of Mauritania ruled the strike out. Cameroon scored 10 minutes into the second half when Eboigbe obstructed Roger Milla, and Emmanuel Kunde blasted past Peter Rufai from the spot.


4. 1992 AFCON BRONZE MEDAL MATCH: Stade de l’Amitie, Dakar



Both sides needed to self-motivate after losing their semi-final matches, with the Eagles knocked out by Ghana and Cameroon eliminated in a penalty shootout by eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire. Coach Philippe Redon replaced goalkeeper Antoine-Bell, who had missed a critical penalty against the Ivorians, with Jacques Songo’o. The Lions’ roster also included Emile Mbouh, Benjamin Massing, Cyril Makanaky, Jean-Claude Pagal, and Kessack Maboang.

Nigeria’s starting goalkeeper was Alloy Agu, and the team also contained Emeka Ezeugo, Isaac Semitoje, Nduka Ugbade, Reuben Agboola, Victor Ikpeba, Friday Ekpo, Mutiu Adepoju, Finidi George, and Rashidi Yekini. Ekpo scored with a 22-yard free kick to give Nigeria the lead with 15 minutes remaining, but the Lions equalised in the 85th minute through Bahoang. Yekini had scored three goals.

5. 2000 AFCON FINAL MATCH: National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos


Coach Johannes Bonfrere opted to start without his two sensations, Julius Aghahowa and Tijani Babangida. The latter had netted the two goals against South Africa in the semi-finals, while Aghahowa was the hero of an unexpectedly-tough quarter-final duel with Senegal. Instead, Raphael Ndukwe started alongside Finidi George and Nwankwo Kanu.



In front of the Eagles’ 60,000 fans, the Lions roared to a 2-0 lead within the half-hour, after Samuel Eto’o found himself in front of Ike Shorounmu from a free-kick on the right and Patrick Mboma also found himself alone with the goalkeeper and simply sent the ball through his legs. Cameroon could have been 3-0 up minutes later when Furo Iyenemi headed against the bar while trying to clear, and Shorounmu also left his line to clear desperately.


The Eagles stemmed the tide and came into their own, with Ndukwe, playing his first match of the competition, threading the ball into the net to reduce the deficit before the break. Early in the second half, Okocha released a left-footed rocket that Alioum Boukar had no answer to, and the game flowed from end-to-end with Geremi Njitap, Lauren Etame Mayer, Salomon Olembe, Marc-Vivien Foe, Pierre Wome and Rigobert Song all involved against Okocha, Kanu, George, Taribo West, Mutiu Adepoju and substitutes Aghahowa, Babangida and Victor Ikpeba. It ended in a penalty shootout, with Kanu and Ikpeba failing to score while Foe was the only one who failed to convert for the Lions. A third triumph for the Indomitable Lions.

6. 2004 AFCON Q-FINAL MATCH: Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet, Monastir


It was a bright, sunny day in the Tunisian city of Monastir. Nigeria’s campaign got off on the wrong footing – a 0-1 loss to Morocco in their first match followed, two days later, by Coach Christian Chukwu expelling three key members of the team from their Riyat Palace Hotel for indiscretion. However, the Eagles pumped South Africa 4-0 and then defeated Benin Republic in Sfax to reach the knockout stage.

Cameroon were ‘double defending champions’ having won in Ghana-Nigeria 2000 and in Mali 2002. Their jerseys hugged them tightly and physically intimidated opponents, and the CAF President was a Cameroonian!


Hayatou led a large delegation to the VIP stand, and the Cameroonian fans unfurled a mammoth banner in the stands: EAGLES FOR DINNER. Swiftly, they made their intentions known, Samuel Eto’o slotting past Vincent Enyeama after Isaac Okoronkwo missed his clearance.


Can anything go wrong? It did, as Nigeria won a free-kick just before the break and Idris Carlos Kameni could only watch Jay Jay Okocha’s effort nestle firmly in the net. Both teams fought fiercely in a supercharged second period, and as the Lions attacked, the ball came to Nwankwo Kanu whose visionary pass was neatly converted by John Utaka

The Cup holders had been booted out!

7. 2019 AFCON ROUND OF 16 MATCH: Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria

Nigeria were low in spirit after a shock 0-2 defeat by minnows Madagascar, and were in the Round of 16 because they had picked maximum points off Burundi and Guinea. Africa Cup of Nations’ heroes Samuel Eto’o and Nwankwo Kanu were in the stands to support their different teams. Once Botswana referee Joshua Bondo got the match underway, lethargy disappeared.
Odion Ighalo, who would emerge tournament top scorer, netted for the Super Eagles midway into the first half after a cut-back in the box by Ahmed Musa. Cameroon replied four minutes to the break through Stephen Bahoken, who got the better of Kenneth Omeruo, and there was still time for Clinton N’jie to give them the lead as he slalomed through the Nigerian defence and shot past Daniel Akpeyi.
Cameroon had far more possession of the ball with Christian Bassogog, Collins, Bahoken and captain Choupo-Moting working hard, but they met a brick wall each time they launched an onslaught. Musa smartly chested the ball for Ighalo from a Chidozie Awaziem cross 18 minutes into the second half, and the poacher booted it past Cameroon’s Andre Onana into the net for Nigeria’s equalizer.
Nigeria were in the ascendancy and would not allow the euphoria to fade. Three minutes later, Ola Aina found Ighalo close to the opposition box, and the striker threaded the ball through the legs of Michael Ngadeu to Iwobi, who finished with aplomb. Nigeria had once again booted out the Cup holders!