This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
On June 22, 2019, Odion Ighalo scored Nigeria's first goal against Burundi in the Africa Cup of Nations at Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt.
Former English Premier League forward Odion Ighalo is set to face South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals, where he aims to burst the South African bubble. The 30-year-old has scored three goals at the African football showpiece in Egypt, putting him in a share of the lead in the Golden Boot race.
Two of his goals came in the 3-2 second-round defeat of defending champions Cameroon, and he could have finished with four having hit the woodwork and been foiled by a superb save. Ighalo says the 2-0 group-stage loss to outsiders Madagascar was a massive wake-up call that worked in favor of the Super Eagles.
“Any thoughts we had of an easy passage to the closing stages vanished after that defeat. We realised that many teams were motivated by playing Nigeria and raised their game against us,” Ighalo said.
South Africa have consistently battled against Nigeria, with a shock 2019 Cup of Nations qualifying triumph in Uyo their lone competitive victory over them. If Nigeria and South Africa can replicate their last-16 form, a titanic struggle for supremacy is on the cards at the Cairo International Stadium.
