11/02/2024
NIGERIA Vs CÔTE D'IVOIRE : READY OR WEARY?
Read these facts and figures about AFCON...
Five of the last six host nations to reach the final have won the tournament, apart from Nigeria in 2000 (drew 2-2 with Cameroon, lost 4-3 on penalties).
Côte d'Ivoire are the first host nation to reach the CAF Africa Cup of Nations final since Egypt in 2006, who won the trophy that year on penalties against Côte d'Ivoire after a 0-0 draw.
Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire are meeting for the eighth time at the Africa Cup of Nations (3 wins for Nigeria, 2 for Côte d'Ivoire, and 2 draws).
Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen has had 24 shots at the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, although he’s only managed one goal so far (4% conversion rate).
All six of Côte d'Ivoire’s goals at AFCON 2023 have been scored by different players (Fofana, Krasso, Kessié, Adingra, Diakité and Haller), they last had more goal scorers in a single edition in 2008 (8).
Five of the last six host nations to reach the final have won the tournament, the exception being Nigeria in 2000 (drew 2-2 with Cameroon, lost 4-3 on penalties).
William Troost-Ekong has scored from four of his five shots on target at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations overall for Nigeria, converting two penalties at this year's tournament.
Côte d'Ivoire’s Evan Ndicka has completed 367 passes at this year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations – since 2010, that is a record by a player at a single tournament. In an AFCON final in that time, the most passes completed by a player is 81 by Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly in 2021 vs Egypt.
Ola Aina has created seven chances for Nigerian teammate Victor Osimhen at this year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations – it’s the most by one teammate to another at an AFCON tournament since 2013, when Charles Kaboré created nine chances for Aristide Bancé for Burkina Faso.
All four of Côte d'Ivoire’s previous CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals have ended goalless and gone to penalties – they won two of those shootouts (1992 and 2015, both vs Ghana) and lost two (2006 vs Egypt and 2012 vs Zambia).
On February 3, 2013 (11 years ago), Nigeria defeated Côte d'Ivoire 2:1 in the Orange AFCON knockout stage, where they went ahead to beat Burkina Faso 1:0 in the final to clinch the trophy.
With these facts and figures, should Nigerians still feel ready or be weary?