AFCON 2023: How Nigeria will approach Angola quarter-final match – Troost-Ekong

Nigeria’s Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong has said the team is motivated to improve as the AFCON 2023 tournament progresses.

The Eagles will be back in action on Friday, 2 January when they will take on Angola.

The three-time AFCON winners began their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea.

Troost-Ekong then scored from the penalty spot in the 1-0 win against hosts Côte d’Ivoire.

Also, the team recorded a 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau before defeating the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Since conceding against Equatorial Guinea, Jose Peseiro’s men have kept three straight clean sheets.

Looking ahead to Friday’s last-eight tie with Angola, Troost-Ekong said he and his teammates are motivated not to take any team for granted.

“I think the AFCON has taught us so much, I think there’s no such thing as a big team or a small team anymore,” the PAOK defender said on BBC News Africa.

“We are very motivated, we saw them play after we played and they look like a very good team so it’s going to be a difficult game.

“We are looking forward to it on Friday, but we’re going to be approaching it the same way we’ve approached every game which is to go and win it.

“I think we’ve improved as the tournament’s gone on and we’re going to be looking to do the same now.”

This is the first time the Eagles and Angola will meet at the AFCON.

Both teams have met in the AFCON and World Cup qualifiers. Angola beat the Eagles to the 2006 World Cup qualifying ticket.