Nigeria and hosts Côte d’Ivoire clash in one of the most anticipated matches of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday, in a 60,000-capacity stadium that organisers say will be filled to the brim just before kick-off. It is the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpe, outside Abidjan, where both teams played their first games of the competition with differing fortunes. Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Elephants celebrated a 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau’s Wild Dogs on the opening day of the tournament, while the Eagles forced Equatorial Guinea’s Thunder to a 1-1 draw on Day 2,
It has been 40 years since Cote d’Ivoire last hosted African football’s flagship championship. That year, a youthful Nigerian team prevailed over Cup holders Ghana and drew with Malawi and Algeria to reach the semi-finals of an eight-nation competition, before coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Egypt’s Pharaohs and then emerge victorious on penalties in Bouake.
They lost the Final 1-3 to Cameroon. Today, the AFCON is a 24-nation final tournament.
There was no Nigeria-Cote d’Ivoire clash in 1984, with the Elephants given the heave-ho in the group stages, but Cote d’Ivoire has been an ever-present in all AFCON competitions in which Nigeria has emerged champions.
The two countries clashed in 1980 (also the second match of the group phase as will be Thursday’s encounter), in 1994 (semi-finals) and in 2013, when Cote d’Ivoire’s golden generation shockingly fell to the Super Eagles in an epic quarter-final in Rustenburg.
Nigeria’s goal against Thunder came from the head of Africa Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, who made his account 21 goals in 28 matches for homeland at senior level, and the Eagles will still set much store by him as they hunt for three crucial points against the two-time champions.
Osimhen was top scorer in qualifying with 10 goals, and is expected to be eager to add to his one goal at the AFCON, having only played a cameo role in 2019 and then missed outright the 2021 finals in Cameroon.
On the two previous occasions that Nigeria arrived at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Africa Player of the Year (1994 and 2000; Rashidi Yekini and Nwankwo Knau respectively), they made it all the way to the Final, winning one and losing the latter on penalties.
By Olaleye Oluwadamilola