The final match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast will be held on Sunday February 11, at the Alassane-Ouattara Stadium (60,000 seats) in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast.
The start for the much-anticipated conference is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. local time in GMT, i.e. 9:00 p.m. French time. This game promises not only drama on the pitch but also an electric atmosphere in the stands.
How Nigeria fared through
Nigeria has had a great run in this CAN 2023 edition. Being undefeated, the team can show its strength and determination to make its way to the final well. The Super Eagles started the tournament with a draw against Equatorial Guinea (1-1), before beating Ivory Coast (0-1) and Guinea-Bissau (0-1). In the sixteenth round, Victor Osimhen and his team defeated Cameroon easily (2-0).
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In the 15th minute, José Peseiro’s men narrowly escaped against Angola (1-0). The last match against South Africa was a real test of Nigerians’ character, they were kicked out on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the wire when they thought they had scored 2-0, VAR overruled. In the end, their composure and two saves by their goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali during the penalty period (4-2 tab) allowed them to keep their place in the final.
Tour of the Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, as the host nation, is the hope of the entire nation during this tournament. The Elephants began their campaign with the clear objective of taking home the trophy. The team started well by beating Guinea-Bissau (2-0), before seeing its strategy end by losing to the Super Eagles (0-1) and suffering a heavy defeat against the Equatorial Guinea team (4-0).
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After losing their qualification for the round of 16 (among the three best teams) in the last minute, the Elephants recovered well thanks to two new miracles, the first by knocking out Senegal in a game full of mirror, then numerically reduced Mali (2-1 AD). More dominant, Wednesday’s game against DR Congo (1-0) earned a ticket to the finals. A chance for revenge in the finals against Nigeria.
