As the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2024 nears its grand finale, the footballing world eagerly anticipates the clash between two continental powerhouses – Nigeria and Ivory Coast. Held in the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abdijan, the stage is primed for an epic showdown as these fierce rivals lock horns in a bid for glory. This titanic encounter holds added significance as it marks a rematch of their earlier encounter in the tournament, where Nigeria secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Ivory Coast. With the scent of revenge lingering in the air, Ivory Coast is determined to overturn their previous defeat and claim the ultimate prize in front of their home fans, while Nigeria’s Super Eagles aim to solidify their dominance and win the trophy.
Team News:
Nigeria have their star man. Victor Osimhen was deemed fit to play against South Africa after abdominal pain had initially hindered him from travelling with the squad. Fullbacks Ola Aina and Calvin Bassey as well as Moses Simon were all a yellow card away from missing the final, but thankfully for them, none of that trio were cautioned against South Africa.
Ivory Coast welcomes the return of Sebastian Haller, who missed the group stages but is now fully recovered and in top form, alongside Brighton’s Simon Adingra. Additionally, Serge Aurier, Odilon Kossounou, and Oumar Diakite are set to return from suspension, bolstering the Elephants’ selection choices.
Key Players:
Nigeria: Victor Osimhen (Striker – Napoli)
Osimhen is the current African Footballer of the Year, and for good reason. The dynamic presence of Osimhen epitomises Nigeria’s attacking prowess. The striker, who plies his trade with Napoli, brings a lethal combination of pace, skill, and goal-scoring ability to the Nigerian lineup. He’s scored one and assisted one so far, but he offers so much more than that. He leads the team press, smartly creates space for his teammates, and galvanises the Super Eagles into action. With his clinical finishing and ability to create scoring opportunities, Osimhen poses a constant threat to opposing defences, making him a key figure for Nigeria in their quest for victory.
Ivory Coast: Sébastien Haller (Striker – Borussia Dortmund)
At the forefront of Ivory Coast’s attacking arsenal is a man with an incredible story, Sébastien Haller, who currently represents Borussia Dortmund. Only 13 months ago, Haller returned to action for Dortmund after experiencing several operations and chemotherapy to get rid of a testicular tumour. He has picked off right where he left off and AFCON glory would mark one of the greatest comeback stories in the sport. Haller’s imposing presence and goal-scoring prowess make him a formidable force in the opposition box. He missed the group stage matches with an ankle injury but he has been a real threat since he’s returned, scoring once and linking up sharply with teammates. With his aerial ability, physicality, and knack for finding the back of the net, Haller poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s defence and will be instrumental in Ivory Coast’s aspirations for success in the match.
Road to the Final:
It has been a relatively calm road to the final for Nigeria. Conceding just one goal in the group stage, they won two and drew one game, although they did finish second in their group. Thanks to two Ademola Lookman goals, they comfortably saw off Cameroon in the Round of 16 before routinely dispatching Angola in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Nigeria conceded their second goal of the tournament in a thrilling 1-1 draw with South Africa which they won on penalties.
The Ivory Coast’s route to the final has been nothing short of extraordinary. A routine 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau appeared to demonstrate the Elephant’s winning intent. Yet, they then lost to Nigeria and then were demolished by Equatorial Guinea, seemingly ending their AFCON run in the group stage. Following this disastrous 4-0 defeat, Ivory Coast took the decisive step of sacking their manager, Jean-Louis Gasset, and replacing him with Emerse Fae, an assistant coach. However, they actually managed to advance as one of the best third-place teams. Subsequently, they ousted the defending champions Senegal on penalties and later eliminated Mali to reach the semi-finals. Edging past the Democratic Republic of Congo, they’ve dramatically made it to the final, in their own country.
Head-to-Head:
Following Nigeria’s narrow victory in the group stage, the two teams now share an identical head-to-head record. Before this encounter, Nigeria had suffered defeat in four out of their last six meetings against Ivory Coast. The overall head-to-head statistics stand at nine wins for both Nigeria and Ivory Coast, with ten matches ending in draws.
Penalties…?
African Cup of Nations finals are synonymous with one thing… penalties. In six of the last 12 finals, the outcome was decided by a penalty shootout, including the 2021 edition. During that final, Sadio Mane’s successful conversion of the final penalty kick secured Senegal’s victory over Mohamed Salah’s Egypt.
Ivory Coast lost on penalties in a dramatic shootout to Zambia in 2012 but three years later, in 2015, won on penalties as they beat Ghana. Will they do the same against Nigeria…?
Nigeria are the slight favourites, priced at 17/10 on bet365. Ivory Coast are the narrow underdogs, priced at 2/1 on bet365.
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By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyH3lfgott on Twitter
