Nigeria’s Super Eagles have a win-or-perish fixture this evening (Thursday) as the Matchday 2 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opens in Côte d’Ivoire. Having forced a 1-1 result on Sunday against Equatorial Guinea, the clash with the hosts is now more of a decider for Nigeria’s Portuguese coach, José Peseiro and his team.
With just a point, Nigeria currently place joint second in Group A, behind the Ivorien Elephants on top of the table (three points). Equatorial Guinea also have a point, while Guinea-Bissau, who lost 0-2 to Côte d’Ivoire in the opening match of the competition, take the rear.
There have been seven head-to-head clashes involving the Super Eagles and the Ivorien Elephants with the score 3-0-4 in favour of the current AFCON hosts. In AFCON, the Elephants also have an edge having won two and the other going the way of Nigeria.
If the Elephants win this game, they will be sure of progressing to the knockout phase of AFCON 2023. That result may spell doom for the Super Eagles unless they beat Guinea-Bissau in their last group match, and other results go their way.
Equatorial Guinea have the chance to go on top of Group A table as they play Guinea Bissau ahead of the Côte d’Ivoire/Nigeria fixture.
The first set of matches at AFCON 2023 produced 27 goals with none goalless. Defending champions Senegal and Morocco walloped their opponents (The Gambia and Tanzania) 3-0 to signal their determination for the trophy.
Other winners are Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde Islands, Burkina Faso, Mali and Namibia.
Today’s matches:
Group A: Equatorial Guinea v Guinea-Bissau (3 pm), Côte d’Ivoire v Nigeria (6 pm)
