Nigeria progressed to the African Cup of Nations quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory over defending champions Cameroon at Alexandria Stadium on Saturday.
In the 16th minute, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon had their first decent opportunity when Pierre Kounde whipped in the corner to the centre of the box, but Michael Ngadeu-Ngadj’s header went over the bar.
The Super Eagles took the lead three minutes later.
Yaya Banana brought down Ahmed Musa on the left wing with the Nigerians being awarded a free kick.
The set-piece from Musa found its way to Kenneth Omeruo at the back post, who scuffed his shot across goal with Odion Ighalo on hand to tap in from close range via a deflection.
Musa was looking dangerous and in the 38th minute, he skipped past his marker on the left wing and tried to cut inside past Ngadeu, but the burly Cameroonian defender halted his progress with a well-timed tackle.
The Indomitable Lions put together a sustained spell of pressure towards the end of the first half and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 41st minute.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting passed to Christian Bassogog on the left flank, who crossed in to the box with Stephane Bahoken ghosting in behind an unaware Omeruo to direct the ball in to the back of the net.
Just two minutes later, Clarence Seedorf’s side took the lead.
Banana played a long-ball upfield, which was flicked on by Bahoken in to the path of Clinton N’Jie, who was one-on-one with Daniel Akpeyi and made no mistake sending the keeper the wrong way to beat him at his near post.
There was still time in the first half for the Super Eagles to almost level matters.
Wilfred Ndidi played Moses Simon into space down the right-hand side of the box, who cut inside on his left but could not hit the target.
In the 51st minute, the Indomitable Lions came close to extending their lead.
A through-ball released Kounde in to the box, who tried his luck from an acute angle on the right with the ball deflecting off Ola Aina and almost sneaking in at Akpeyi’s near post, but the shot-stopper prevented it from going in to the back of the net.
But the Super Eagles fought their way back in to the game in the 63rd minute.
Chidozie Awaziem curled a delivery into the box before Musa chested the ball in to the path of Ighalo, who rifled the ball in to the back of the net first-time on the volley.
Soon after, Gernot Rohr’s side went in front to cap a remarkable turnaround.
Ighalo played an excellent slide-rule pass through the legs of Banana and into the path of Alex Iwobi, who slid the ball past Andre Onana and in to the back of the net.
Ighalo nearly bagged his hat-trick with 15 minutes to go when Samuel Chukwueze passed the ball back across the face of the goal for the unmarked Super Eagles striker, but his first-time effort towards the top left-hand corner was dealt with easily by Onana in the end.
There were no further clear-cut scoring opportunities as the Super Eagles knocked out the defending champions.
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