This is the analysis from the AFCON final match between Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire
FT: Nigeria 1-2 Cote D’Ivoire
94′ Singo with a long range shot but off target.
90′ 7 minutes added time. Nigeria on the front foot, throwing numbers up to get a late equaliser.
89′ Iheanacho with an attempt from outside the box blocked by the Ivorian defence.
85′ SUBSTITUTION: Terrem Moffi and Joe Aribo comes on for Zaidu Sanusi and Frank Onyeka
82′ SUBSTITUTION: Iwobi out for Iheanacho
81′ Goal!! Haller gives Cote D’Ivoire the lead! Nigeria 1-2 Cote D’Ivoire
78′ Osimhen fouled by Fofana. The Super Eagles striker is down, wriggling in pain.
75′ COOLING BREAK
75′ Haller with an acrobatic kick that trails off the net. Cote D’Ivoire continue to surge forward for a winner.
72′ Adingra with a sleek run down the flank to shake off Ajayi but the defender stood his ground.
67′ Troost-Ekong with a strong header off an Ademola Lookman’s curler but his header is off target.
61′ Goal!!! Frank Kessie with a header that goes in. Cote D’Ivoire draw level.
55′ SUBSTITUTION: Chukwueze comes off for Moses Simon.
49′ Ndicka with a shot from inside the box, hits Calvin Bassey and rolls into the hands of Nwabali.
47′ Cote D’Ivoire with a freekick close to the box.
45′ The second half is underway with Cote D’Ivoire getting us started.
HT: Nigeria 1-0 Cote D’Ivoire
45+4 Fofana with a shot from long range but Nwabali saves comfortably.
45′ 4 minutes added time
43′ Haller trying to connect to Kessie but Nwabali rushes out to grab the ball before the midfielder gets to it.
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37′ Goal!!!! Troost-Ekong scores with a powerful header from a corner. Nigeria 1-0 Cote D’Ivoire
35′ Zaidu Sanusi with a clear chance at goal but his shot deflected for a corner.
33′ Adingra with yet another chance to open the lead for Cote D’Ivoire but Nwabali parries away his shot. Aina clears the ball for corner.
31′ Nwabali restarts the game from Nigeria’s half.
30′ COOLING BREAK
28′ Nigeria’s coach Jose Peseiro receives a yellow card after vehemently protesting the referee’s decision to call for a foul committed by Osimhen.
22′ Sanusi takes the free-kick but the linesman catches Ekong offside.
21′ Free-kick for Nigeria as Lookman gets infringed upon.
19′ Max Gradel with an acrobatic kick but his attempt hits the side-net.
17′ The Super Eagles with some series of offensive plays but no real threats for the Ivorians.
12′ Fofana fires a shot but Nwabali saves comfortably.
12′ Aina clears out for a corner a dangerous cross from the Ivorian.
10′ Cote D’Ivoire with another set-piece but the Nigerian defence clears out for safety
7′ Adingra with a quick step-over, gets past Ola Aina, but fires over the net. Cote D’Ivoire growing in confidence in the game with successive chances.
6′ Haller with a chance but could not connect to the diagonal cross into the box. Super Eagles survived that.
4′ Cote D’Ivoire gets the first corner of the game
3′ Sebastien Haller getting into the thick of action with a weak header that does not trouble Nwabali in goal for the Super Eagles
1′ Early freekick for Nigeria after Ademola Lookman gets roughened up by the Ivorians
1′ The match gets underway.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria face the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in what promises to be a showdown.
Both sides have had an interesting run into the final of the competition and will be ready to leave it all out on the pitch as they seek to increase the AFCON titles in their trophy cabinet.
When both sides faced off in the group stage, Nigeria, via a spot kick converted by captain William Troost-Ekong. pipped the Cote D’Ivoire team 1-0 as they went on to secure a second-placed finish while Cote D’Ivoire made it out as one of the four best-third placed teams.
Nigeria have faced stronger sides coming into the final, and look a better team on paper to clinch the AFCON trophy, but Cote D’Ivoire themselves are no minnows especially with their renewed energy and optimism after finding themselves in the second round by a stroke of luck and now driven by the ambition to make it count in front of millions of their home fans.
For the Elephants, this is a revenge mission that comes with a better prize: the AFCON trophy, while for Nigeria: nothing will be more epic than winning the AFCON by defeating the hosts and neighbours: Cote D’Ivoire right on their own soil.
Nigeria XI vs Cote D’Ivoire: Stanley Nwabali, Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Ola Aina, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen.
