The victory of the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, over the host nation Ivory Coast in a 1-0 win has further solidified their position as one of the favorites to win this year’s African Cup of Nations.
The winning goal came from defender William Troost-Ekong, who converted a penalty in the 55th minute after Victor Osimhen was fouled in the penalty box. This performance was a stark contrast to their lackluster game against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
Despite some missed opportunities in front of goal, the Nigerian team showcased their firepower and raised hopes for a successful campaign in Ivory Coast. With four points, Nigeria is currently tied at the top of the group with Equatorial Guinea, while Ivory Coast trails behind with three points.
Guinea-Bissau has already been eliminated from the tournament. Although there is room for error with the top four third-placed teams advancing to the last 16, Ivory Coast must secure a victory against Equatorial Guinea in their final match to ensure progress. On the other hand, Nigeria only needs to avoid defeat against Guinea-Bissau to secure a top-two finish.
The match drew a crowd of 49,517 spectators, a significant increase compared to the host’s previous game, which faced controversy due to the number of empty seats. Despite the positive atmosphere, Ivory Coast became the first host nation since 2012 to lose a match in the group stage of the AFCON.
The last host nation to be eliminated in the first round was Gabon in 2017, who had three draws. Ivory Coast was still without their star forward, Sebastien Haller, as he continues to recover.
