The 2023 final will pit Nigeria against Côte d'Ivoire this Sunday, February 11 (20:00 GMT). Two giants of African soccer meet for the first time in the final. The Super Eagles (8th final) are aiming for a 4th title and the Elephants (5th final) their 3rd.
Nigeria will face hosts Côte d'Ivoire in the final of AFCON 2023 this Sunday, February 11 (20:00 GMT). A great showdown at the summit of African soccer. The two teams, both AFCON finals regulars, meet at the same time for the first time. Two teams who were in the same group, but who have had diametrically opposed careers.
Nigeria, an African giant
The Super Eagles will be contesting their 8th Africa Cup of Nations final against Côte d'Ivoire. And for the 16th time in their history, they will finish on the podium. It's a record that Nigeria will maintain at this edition. With 3 titles to their name (1980, 1994, 2013), the Nigerians are aiming for a 4th to go down even further in the history of the competition. And they seem to be well on their way.
After a complicated first match (1-1 against Equatorial Guinea), the Super Eagles readjusted to become a defensively solid team that knows how to make the difference up front. Having beaten Côte d'Ivoire (0-1) in their second match, Nigeria went on to win every match until the final.Better still, Victor Osimhen and company conceded just 2 goals in the process. They scored 7. Nigeria also always led the score and won their matches in regulation time, except against South Africa in the semi-finals (1-1, 4-2 pen).
This consistency could be repeated in the final, especially as the Super Eagles have always won their finals in normal time: 1980 against Algeria (3-0), 1994 against Zambia (2-1) and 2013 against Burkina Faso (1-0). They can draw on this past to win a 4th crown. A past that is also a little dark.Of the 7 finals contested, the Nigerians have won just 3, losing 4.
Côte d'Ivoire and penalties, a long history
Côte d'Ivoire is pursuing its dream at AFCON 2023.On the brink of elimination in the first round, the Elephants bounced back to reach the final.They defeated Senegal (1-1, 4-5 pen), Mali (1-2 prolon) and Burkina Faso (1-0). Each time in the dying moments. "There's God in it", as they say at home. A surreal route to a 5th AFCON final on home soil. The last 4 have all gone to penalties.
Unlucky finalists in 2006 and 2012, the Ivorians managed to win the other two (1992 and 2015). Each time, against Ghana. A statistic very much in the Côte d'Ivoire Elephants' favor.Indeed, the majority of Africa Cup of Nations finals have come down to penalties since the 1982 edition (Gana-Libya 1-1, 7-6 TAB).
Côte d'Ivoire, however, will have to contend with another unfavorable statistic. That of the host country, which has let the trophy slip from its grasp.Since Egypt (2006), no host country has managed to win the trophy.
Super Eagles win the day If the overall confrontation between the two selections is rather balanced (6 matches, 3 wins for both sides), in the AFCON, however, Nigeria dominates Côte d'Ivoire. The Super Eagles have two wins to their one defeat. Having beaten the Ivorians in this edition, they also managed to eliminate them in the 8th final of AFCON 2013 (2-1).Nigeria will be looking to maintain this advantage.
