By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-01-19 04:05:51
The Super Eagles bounced back from their disappointing 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea in their opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations to secure a crucial 1-0 victory over hosts Cote d’Ivoire. Stand-in Captain, William Troost-Ekong, scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the second half, earning Nigeria one of their best results in recent times.
Despite doubts from many followers of the game after their lackluster performance against Equatorial Guinea, the Nigerian team displayed maturity and resilience against a strong Ivorian side. Manager Jose Peseiro made two changes to the team, bringing in Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze for the injured Alhassan Yusuf and Moses Simon. The team lined up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Bassey, Troost-Ekong, and Semi Ajayi in central defense, flanked by Zaidu Sanusi and Ola Aina in the fullback positions. In midfield, Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka played deep, while Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman operated wide of striker Victor Osimhen.
The Super Eagles dominated the midfield and created more chances in the first half, with Onyeka coming close to scoring. Despite Osimhen missing a clear opportunity, Nigeria continued to press forward and were eventually rewarded with a penalty when an Ivorian defender fouled Osimhen in the box. Troost-Ekong calmly converted the spot-kick to secure the victory.
With the win, Nigeria moved to four points in Group A, level with Equatorial Guinea, who currently lead the group on goal difference. Cote d’Ivoire sits in third place with three points, while Guinea Bissau is at the bottom with no points. Nigeria’s next game is against Guinea Bissau, while Equatorial Guinea will face Cote d’Ivoire. The top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stages of the tournament.
Read the original article on The Guardian
