In the heart of the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast, the hosting nation, seeks to extend their triumph following an impressive 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in the tournament’s 34th edition. Seko Fofana of Al Nasr set the tone with a sublime opener within the first four minutes, and Jean-Philippe Krasso secured the win with a well-timed effort in the 58th minute. Under the guidance of coach Jean-Louis Gasset, Les Elephants have enjoyed a remarkable unbeaten streak of seven games, including wins in their World Cup qualifiers against Seychelles (9-0) and Gambia (2-0).
Eager to continue their AFCON success, Ivory Coast aims for back-to-back wins in their first two games, a feat not achieved since 2013. Coincidentally, that year saw victories against Togo and Tunisia before settling for a 2-2 draw with Algeria.
Nigeria, on the other hand, is determined to bounce back from a lackluster 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea, a match where Victor Osimhen equalized less than two minutes after Iban Salvador’s surprising goal for the Nzalang Nacional.
Despite the setback, the Super Eagles face heightened pressure as they confront Ivory Coast. Under the leadership of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro, Nigeria has struggled, going four consecutive matches without a win since their friendly victory over Mozambique in October. In the World Cup qualifiers, they faced Lesotho and Zimbabwe, securing only draws against the 148th and 124th FIFA World Ranking teams, respectively.
For Nigeria, the clash against Ivory Coast is pivotal, requiring a victory to avoid their first group-stage exit since 1982. However, overcoming the hosts won’t be easy, as Ivory Coast boasts an impressive record of being unbeaten in 37 of their last 38 group-stage games and maintaining a 17-game undefeated streak in the group stages since 2012.
The Super Eagles draw inspiration from their 2013 AFCON encounter with Ivory Coast, where they emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline in the quarter-finals on their way to clinching the title in South Africa.
As both teams prepare for this crucial clash, Ivory Coast holds a formidable AFCON form of W, with an overall form in all competitions showing DDWWWW. In contrast, Nigeria’s AFCON form stands at D, and their overall form includes DWDDLD, emphasizing the significance of this encounter for both nations on the road to continental glory.
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