Percy Onyeka
Ivory Coast and Nigeria will face off on Thursday in one of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations’ crunch ties in the group stage.
The hosts overcame any pre-AFCON anxieties to make a strong start on home soil in Abidjan on Saturday night, defeating Guinea-Bissau 2-0 thanks to an early goal from Seko Fofana and Jean-Philippe Krasso’s second-half effort.
The Super Eagles, however, couldn’t follow suit in their own Group A start on Sunday, being held to a 1-1 draw by giant-killers Equatorial Guinea. They required a quick equalizer from star scorer Victor Osimhen to avoid embarrassment and failed to take advantage of their other opportunities to get a winner.
The Super Eagles are aware that they will need to improve significantly if they are to pick up a win from the encounter against the Elephants on Thursday.
Ivory Coast were missing Sebastien Haller against GuineaBissau, as the Borussia Dortmund attacker is currently nursing an ankle injury.
Brighton’s Simon Adingra missed the opening match due to a muscle ailment. It’s unclear if either attacker will be fit to play the Super Eagles on Thursday.
Nigeria, meanwhile, had a series of injuries prior to the tournament, losing key players such as Bayer Leverkusen attacker Victor Boniface, Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and Real Sociedad striker, Umar Sadiq.
Impressive Alhassan Yusuf has also been confirmed to be out of the Ivory Coast clash after picking up a knock against Equatorial Guinea.
Terem Moffi, the late replacement for Sadiq Umar, Boniface have arrived the Eagles camp and is expected to start from the bench.
Ivory Coast vs Nigeria is scheduled for a 6pm (Nigeria Time) kick-off on Thursday January 18, 2024.
The match will take place at Alassane Ouattara Stadium – AKA the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe – in Abidjan.
Agency Report
