Who: Nigeria vs Ivory Coast
what: CAF AFCON 2023 Finals
when: Sunday 11 February 2024, 20:00 GMT
where: Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Nigeria coach Jose Peceiro is looking to weaken his team's status as favorites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, while talking about Africa's failed Player of the Year Victor Osimhen.
The Super Eagles will face hosts Ivory Coast, who won 1-0 in the group stage, in the final at Abidjan's Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Sunday.
The Elephants also lost to Equatorial Guinea in their final group stage game, and were on the verge of being eliminated at the first hurdle, with manager Jean-Louis Gassett at loggerheads as they awaited clarity on whether they would advance to one of the top three teams. I understood. -I placed a finisher.
“There are no favorites for the final,'' insisted the Portuguese coach. “Both teams have a 50 percent chance, but we are determined to win this final.”
Meanwhile, Osimhen had previously received praise from his coach for his work rate and performance in competitions.
The Napoli striker picked up a point in Nigeria's first match against Equatorial Guinea, but is yet to find the net.
“He doesn't play like he's a star. He fights for the team and is not selfish at all,” Peseiro said.
“He knows he is an important player and he gives us the best energy. He gets a lot of attention from opposing defenders in this tournament because he knows it is a team game. I have suffered a lot.”
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼. 🤩
🦅 🆚 🐘
Which band's music is playing? #TotalEnergyAFCON2023 The last sky? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/RrAR6V2wD8
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 8, 2024
Ivory Coast interim coach Emers Fayeh was not the country's first choice to replace the outgoing Gassett, but he is now leading his country in the finals.
Fay can join the elite list of African Cup of Nations winning managers just weeks after managing his first senior match.
It would be no mean feat for the 40-year-old French-born former Ivorian international who played for his country in the 2006 final, albeit on the losing side.
He had been Gassett's assistant for the past 18 months, so he was familiar with what happened and what needed to be done.
“We had some emotionally and mentally difficult days and came in through the back door,” Fay admitted. “Losing 4-0 at home was the worst, and we had to wait after that. To be honest, it was very difficult to heal while keeping our fingers crossed.”
Fayé made some key changes and the Ivorians showed impressive mental strength, defeating holders Senegal in the last 16 and neighboring Mali in the quarter-finals, both coming from behind.
Their comeback continued with a victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the semi-finals. Local press has called Fay a “special person.”
Asked on Saturday about the tag, which was first used by Portugal manager Jose Mourinho, he replied: “No, no, it's not like that.”
“It was a collective effort that brought us all here.”
Nigeria's notable players
Although this year's African soccer players have yet to show their scoring potential in this tournament, their work rate and performance have earned them praise from their coaches.
Ademola Lookman
The former Everton forward scored all three of his team's goals in the round of 16 and quarter-finals against Cameroon and Angola. While Osimhen attracted the attention of many opposition players both in and out of possession, he created openings for other players and Lookman took full advantage of them.
William Troost-Ekong
The captain was the team's leader in every sense of the word. Troost-Ekong, the rock of the team's defense who has only conceded two goals in this tournament, has scored two penalties in normal times, including against Ivory Coast in the group, and also scored in the penalty shoot-out win against South Africa.
One country. One dream. #AFCON2023 Last! 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/tFJxX8a5Te
— William TroostEkong (@WTroostEkong) February 7, 2024
Notable players from Ivory Coast
Sebastian Haller
The Borussia Dortmund striker was fit enough to start for the first time in this tournament in the semi-final against DRC. Although it was a bit of a miskick, his goal propelled the Elephants into the final. Ivory Coast's victory marks an incredible comeback for this tournament, but also for Haller, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2022.
Simon Adingra
The Brighton & Hove Albion winger has been a sensation in this competition and is undoubtedly a favorite with the hosts' supporters. Every time the ball lands at Adingra's feet, the excitement and volume in the venue increases. It was Adingra who scored the equalizer in the 90th minute in the semi-final match against Mali, which went into extra time.
Frank Kessier
The midfielder has been one of the hottest names in European football for some time and signed for Saudi Professional League side Al-Archi last year. The 27-year-old joined Serie A side Atalanta as a teenager and was scouted by Italian giants AC Milan in 2019. Barcelona brought Kessié, who has been a driving force in the center of the park, to Spain in 2022 prior to his transfer. To Saudi Arabia.
form guide
Nigeria: WWWWW
Ivory Coast: LLWWW
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗘. 😮💨
🇳🇬 Nigeria 🆚 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮
Finally arrived #TotalEnergyAFCON2023 Final stop! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dk3AtUoXh2
— CAF (@CAF_Online) February 7, 2024
Prize money
Champion: $7 million
Runner-up: $4 million
Match results:
match: 12
Nigeria won: Four
Ivory Coast won: 6
draw: 2
team news
Nigeria will hope Osimhen does not suffer a recurrence of the abdominal complaint that forced him to travel a day later than the rest of the team for the semi-finals.
Left-back Zaidu Sanusi missed the semi-final against South Africa due to a hamstring injury, but was tested regularly ahead of the match against Bafana Bafana and will undergo a fitness test in the second half ahead of the final. It's planned.
Possible starting lineup for Nigeria national team: Stanley Nwabari, Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Bright Osai-Samuel, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman.
Ivory Coast will welcome the return of suspended pair Odilon Kossou and Oumar Diakhille, who were sent off in the quarter-final against Mali. Kosounou started this game, but is expected to return to defense in place of Willy Boly.
Ivory Coast's expected starting lineup: Yahia Fofana, Wilfried Shingo, Odilon Kosounou, Evan Ndicka, Ghislain Konan, Franck Kessier, Jean-Michael Seri, Seko Fofana, Max Gradel, Sébastien Haller, Simon Adingra.