Nigeria emerged victorious with a 1-0 win against Ivory Coast on Thursday, further intensifying the competition in a tense Africa Cup of Nations encounter in Group A.
William Troost-Ekong, the captain of Greek club PAOK, played a pivotal role by converting a second-half penalty, while the host country, Ivory Coast, faced the pressure of a potential group stage exit.
Troost-Ekong’s decisive penalty came 10 minutes into the second half after Victor Osimhen was fouled, a decision confirmed by VAR. The Super Eagles, eager to assert their dominance in the tournament, managed to secure their first win in Group A after a 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea in their opening match.
The victory places Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea at the top of the group with four points each, while Ivory Coast lags behind with three points. Guinea-Bissau, having suffered a 4-2 defeat against Equatorial Guinea earlier, is already eliminated from contention.
In front of a passionate 49,517-strong crowd and enjoying home advantage, Ivory Coast faced an unfortunate setback, becoming the first host nation to lose a group stage match in the AFCON since 2012. The pressure now mounts on Ivory Coast to secure a win against Equatorial Guinea in their final group match to ensure progression.
Nigeria, on the other hand, needs to avoid defeat against Guinea-Bissau in their upcoming fixture to solidify a top-two finish. With the format allowing the four best third-placed teams from the six groups to advance, both teams still have a margin for error.
The absence of star forward Sebastien Haller due to injury affected Ivory Coast’s attacking prowess, while Nigeria coped without midfielder Alhassan Yusuf. The match highlighted a lack of quality in the final third for both teams, and Troost-Ekong’s successful penalty proved to be the defining moment.
Nigeria now eyes a strong performance in their upcoming clash with Guinea-Bissau, aiming to advance further in the AFCON and potentially secure another championship title.
