'Nigeria must be careful' - Ex-Real Madrid midfielder warns Super Eagles to be wary of creative Angola side 

Former Real Madrid midfielder Mutiu Adepoju has warned the Super Eagles players to be wary of Angola in Friday evening's quarterfinal showdown at the Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny in Abidjan.

Angola are one of the teams that have been playing to their full potential at the 2023 AFCON, fighting against the tide to register back-to-back wins against Burkina Faso and Namibia. 

And they have been creative in attack, registering nine goals from four games, and have two of the top four goalscorers in their ranks in the shape of Gelson Dala (4) and Agostinho Cristóvão Paciência (3).

Nigeria's rock-solid defence featuring William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey will be put to the test as they aim to keep their fourth consecutive clean sheet at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

Adepoju, an Africa Cup of Nations winner with the Super Eagles in 1994, reckons that Angola will be on top of their game.

"It will be a difficult match. They played good matches in the group stage, and therefore, Nigeria must be careful," Adepoju told Btolat.

Adepoju has opined that the Super Eagles are the favorites to win the Africa Cup of Nations with the elimination of the North African countries and defending champions Senegal, but must prove their worth until the end of the tournament. 

“There must be commitment on the part of all players. They must give everything they have and not be satisfied with themselves because the championship is difficult to win," he concluded. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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