After a month of intense competition, a new champion will be crowned later today (Sunday) as the curtains are drawn on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations when host Ivory Coast rekindles their rivalry with Nigeria in the final of the tournament at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
The final, which kicks off at 9 pm Nigerian time, will be a rematch of both teams’ Group A encounter earlier in the tournament where the Super Eagles emerged victorious by a lone goal on matchday two, but today’s game offers both teams the chance to lift the trophy.
Following their 1-0 win in the group stages over Ivory Coast, Nigeria will be looking to beat the same opponents twice in an AFCON tournament for the first time since 2006, when they beat Senegal in the group stage and third-place play-off.
The Eagles are seeking their fourth AFCON title, while the Ivoirians aim to win Africa’s biggest continental football showpiece for a third time on home soil, having last won the continental title nine years earlier.
The Elephants’ 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau on matchday 1 proved crucial, with the three points won from that game just enough to take them to the round of 16 as one of the four best third-place finishers after losing to Nigeria and then Equatorial Guinea. The latter crushed Ivory Coast 4-0 to inflict their heaviest ever home and Nations Cup defeat, which sealed their coach Jean-Louis Gasset’s fate.
But much has changed for the Ivory Coast since then under new coach Emerse Fae, with the hosts surmounting obstacles when hope seemed to be lost and they now appear to have momentum just like Jose Peseiro’s Eagles heading into the decider in Abidjan later tonight.
The Ivoirians edged defending champions Senegal 5-4 on penalties after extra time scores ended 1-1 in the round of 16, beat Mali 2-1 in the quarter-final and the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in last Wednesday’s semi-final.
For the Eagles, they made their way to the final on the back of solid defending, conceding only two goals and keeping four clean sheets in their victories over the Ivoirians (1-0), Guinea-Bissau (1-0), Cameroon (2-0) and Angola (1-0).
In the semi-finals, their 4-2 win over the Bafana Bafana of South Africa via penalties came down to the outstanding defending before the shootout with on-field captain William Troost-Ekong and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali emerging as the heroes for the team, coming to the fore during multiple moments of pressure.
The duo alongside Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi, who is a doubt, will have to hold their nerves one more time in the final against an Ivorian side seeking redemption in front of their home fans.
According to Ivory Coast coach, Fae, both teams are on the same level and Sunday’s final offers the Elephants an opportunity to prove their class once again despite their group-stage loss to Nigeria.
“The fact that Nigeria had beaten us is a good thing because we know whom we are up against,” he said in Saturday’s pre-match conference monitored by our correspondent.
He added, “How we prepare for the match with our players is critical. I think that the Eagles and ourselves are at the same level.
“We have a great opportunity tomorrow (Sunday) and we are 90 minutes away from adding a third star to the Ivorian jersey. The teams are on equal footing, psychologically.”
He also added that the game would be won from a tactical perspective.
He added, “As the competition has progressed, the Nigerian team has gained strength. We had a very difficult journey at the beginning, but we gained momentum from the round of 16 against Senegal.
“Like any high-level match, like any final, it will come down to the details. We will be patient. We will not rush. We will focus on starting the match well and be patient to unsettle them.”
Nigeria coach, Jose Peseiro, also speaking ahead of the much-anticipated final, hopes to win the AFCON title in his first attempt.
“Playing a final is always important,” he said.
He said, “This is my first AFCON. Some were saying it’s been special, and I can attest to that. The emotions in Africa are very special. All of this, in my opinion, is a great way to learn and I would love to win it with the Nigerian team today (Sunday).
“It is crucial to find a balance. We have a great squad of players that want to win this for Nigeria. Some are newcomers to the squad but have played in other competitions. Football brings a lot of emotion, more than any sport, and this is important for Nigeria.”
Peseiro also added that the team would be aiming to win the final for the Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, who is aiming for a second AFCON title.
Musa, who has not featured at the tournament in Ivory Coast, has been an important player for the squad, according to Peseiro.
The manager said, “Musa is much more than a player.
“He helps us a lot. He advises and informs me about many things. Up to now, he has done so many things. He has won the AFCON. He is the captain and I want to win the AFCON tomorrow so that I can see Musa lift this trophy.”
Should Peseiro go on to win the AFCON for Nigeria on Sunday, the Portuguese will become the third foreigner to win the continental title for Nigeria after Otto Gloria in 1980 and Clemens Westerhof in 1994.
Ekong, who by his admission almost didn’t make the squad for the tournament and was close to quitting international football after being overlooked for a year, expects the final to be a classic.
He also added that lifting the AFCON trophy would be an “amazing” moment for him and the country, noting that it would be time to deliver on Sunday.
Ekong said, “It will not be a tea party, and we won’t be going out there with a teacup. We will work hard and fight hard for the trophy.
“You dream about moments like that. I’ve seen it so many times. And I’ve closed my eyes. To be there on Sunday and have the chance to do that will be amazing.”
Ekong, a top contender for the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, has scored four of his five shots on target at the AFCON overall for Nigeria, converting two penalties at this tourney.
According to Opta, he’s one of only four Nigerians to score two penalties at a single AFCON, along with Samuel Ojebode (1976), Austin Okocha (2004), and Victor Moses (2013).
Making his third appearance at the AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast, having featured at the 2019 edition in Egypt and the 2022 tournament in Cameroon, Ekong will be aiming to join the elite list of Nigerian defenders like Christian Chukwu, Keshi and Joseph Yobo to have lifted the AFCON trophy for the country. (Punch)
