AFCON 2023: Troost Ekong Sets New Target for Super Eagles After Angola Victory

• William Troost-Ekong wants Super Eagles to win the Africa Cup of Nations
• Nigeria defeated Angola 2-0 to qualify for the semi-finals
• The Super Eagles are bidding to win the AFCON for the fourth time

Super Eagles vice-captain William Troost-Ekong has his eyes set on winning the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after helping Nigeria seal a semi-final slot on Friday night.

The three-time AFCON winners qualified for their 16th semi-final of Africa’s biggest football competition after a narrow 1-0 victory against Angola, with Ademola Lookman netting the sole goal.

According to Score Nigeria, Ekong disclosed after the quarter-final victory that the Super Eagles are heading in the right direction, and their aim is to go all the way and win the tournament.

“We have been defending well like a great team, and we have been attacking and creating chances as a good team. I like the fighting spirit and togetherness of this team.

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“We’re heading in the right direction because we want to go all the way.”

Nigeria will be aiming to win the AFCON for the first time since 2013, when Stephen Keshi led the team to victory after they defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.

Omeruo cautions Nigeria ahead of semifinal

Meanwhile, veteran defender Kenneth Omeruo insists there is still work to be done after the Super Eagles sealed qualification to the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, All Nigeria Soccer reports.

The Kasimpasa central defender, who is one of two players in the current Nigeria squad that won the 2013 AFCON, noted that there were distractions from the media in the lead-up to the game against Angola, but the Super Eagles remained focused.

Ademola Lookman scored the vital goal to send the Super Eagles to another AFCON semi-final as Nigeria now awaits the winners between South Africa and Cape Verde for a place in the final.

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Super Eagles receive cash bonus

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that the Nigeria Football Federation rewarded each player of the Super Eagles with $30,000 for qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The original method would have given each participant a $5,000 per-match bonus on their way to the final, but this was replaced by a flat sum payment for each round of the competition.