“Not Osimhen”: South Africa Coach Names One Nigerian Player They Need to Stop to Reach AFCON Final
- Before the AFCON semi-final clash with Nigeria, South Africa's coach Hugo Broos revealed the one player who could make the difference
- He singled out Ademola Lookman as the main threat that his team had to neutralise to reach the final
- Lookman had scored three goals in the tournament so far, including the decisive one against Angola
Ahead of the AFCON semi-final showdown between Nigeria and South Africa, the Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos disclosed the name of the player who he believed could be the game-changer for the Super Eagles.
In a press conference ahead of the crucial match, he identified Ademola Lookman as the main danger that his team had to watch out for and stop from scoring.
Source: UGC
Lookman had been in fine form throughout the tournament, netting three goals in four games, including the vital one that gave Nigeria a narrow 1-0 win over Angola and secured their place in the last four of the competition.
Nigeria's performance so far
Nigeria’s team has been performing well in the current AFCON tournament, reaching the semi-finals with four wins and one draw. They have scored seven goals and conceded none, keeping four clean sheets in a row.
Their star players include Victor Osimhen, who has scored a goal and one assist, and Ademola Lookman, who has scored three goals and provided one assist.
Nigeria will face South Africa in the semi-final, a team they have beaten twice in the previous AFCON editions. Nigeria is aiming to win their fourth AFCON title and their first since 2013.
A CAF-Accredited sports expert, Ayomide Oguntimehin, who has over 7 years of experience, spoke to Legit.ng about Ademola Lookman's performance.
"I must say Lookman's performance has been a surprise because in previous encounters, before the tournament, it appeared he was not at his best. I noticed that when he joined Atlanta, a SerieA club, his performance at both team and club levels improved a lot. At a time, I observed he was chasing Osimhen in the goal-scoring chart. He is at his best, no doubt, in this tournament, creating chances and scoring goals; this is what we had hoped Ademola Lookman would bring to us."
Watch the video below:
Mikel Obi predicts AFCON 2023 winner
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that John Mikel Obi, the former Super Eagles captain, has tipped the team to be the winner of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Obi's prediction is coming two days before the semi-final between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the ongoing competition.
Nigeria had qualified for the semi-final after defeating Angola in a one-goal thrilling match at the quarter-final stage. Many football pundits have predicted Nigeria will win the competition after defeating Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon, and other big elephants.
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Source: Legit.ng
