Nigeria’s top five wins against Cameroon

The two African giants will meet for the 23rd and 24th time in back-to-back international friendlies on June 4 and 8, respectively

Nigeria and Cameroon are no strangers to each other, having met on 22 occasions ahead of the first of their doubleheader clash on Friday in Austria.

Although there’s nothing at stake in both games, expect both teams to have a go at each other due to their competitive history.

Cameroon have always been Nigeria’s nemesis in the Africa Cup of Nations, but the Super Eagles are unbeaten against their rivals since 2000.

Ahead of the two games, Soccernet highlights Nigeria’s top five wins against the five-time African champions.

Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon (1989 WCQ):  The Super Eagles were in Cameroon’s group for the 1990 World Cup qualifiers and sought revenge after losing the final of the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations in controversial circumstances.

The three-time African champions got their revenge as they defeated Cameroon 2-0 in the first leg at the Liberty Stadium, courtesy of goals from Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia.

Although Cameroon had the last laugh as they denied the Super Eagles a place at the World Cup, it was still a satisfying win for Nigeria.

Nigeria 2-1 Cameroon (Afcon 1992): Both teams met again in the third-place match of 1992 Afcon. After missing out on qualification for the 1990 World Cup, Nigeria once again gained some sort of revenge on their rival with a 2-1 win to seal third place.

Goals from Friday Ekpo and Rashidi Yekini put Clemence Westerhoff’s side two goals up before Emmanuel Maboang pulled one back for Cameroon five minutes from time.

Nigeria 2-1 Cameroon (Afcon 2004): Of all Nigerian victories against their arch-rivals, this is the sweetest of them all.

The Cameroonians had broken millions of Nigerian hearts four years earlier, beating the Super Eagles on penalties at the National Stadium Lagos in the final of Afcon 2000.

It’s a loss that Nigerians would remember for years because of the circumstances that surrounded the loss.

Nonetheless, the 2004 quarterfinal clash provided the Super Eagles with a chance to gain one over their rivals after years of hurt.

It looked like it would be another sad day for Nigerians when Samuel Eto’o put Cameroon ahead three minutes before half-time.

But Okocha drew Nigeria level on the stroke of half-time through a brilliant freekick. John Utaka then latched on to a delightful pass from Kanu Nwankwo to score the winner in the 73rd minute.

The Indomitable Lions piled pressure in the closing stages, but Nigeria held on for one of the most memorable victories in the nation’s history.

Nigeria 4-0 Cameroon (2018 WCQ): Nigeria and Cameroon were drawn together again in the World Cup qualifiers, but this time, it was the Super Eagles that got the better of their rivals.

Gernot Rohr’s men were brilliant from start to finish when they hosted their rivals at Uyo. Goals Odion Ighalo, John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho, helped the Super Eagles to a 4-0 win.

It was one of the team’s four wins in a group that also had Algeria and Zambia. The Super Eagles finished unbeaten- albeit on the pitch- winning four and drawing two games.

Nigeria 3-2 Cameroon (Afcon 2019): The most recent meeting between the two sides was at Afcon 2019 in Egypt.

They met in the round of 16, and once again, Nigeria continued their dominance over the five-time African champions.

Odion Ighalo put the Super Eagles ahead in the 19th minute, but quickfire goals from Stephane Bahoken and Clinton Njie gave Cameroon a halftime lead.

However, Ighalo’s second of the day and Alex Iwobi’s strike both in the second half sealed another win for the Super Eagles.