In a close match, the Ivorians who seemed to be in control of the match in the first period were surprised by a Nigerian penalty after returning from the locker room (0-1). The Elephants never managed to come back from the score.
3 mins
It was the most anticipated match of this group A of the CAN 2024. The clash between Ivory Coast and Nigeria should allow the Elephants to measure themselves against an opponent of their caliber. But the outcome of the meeting was ultimately very disappointing for the Ivorian supporters. The match started off with a bang, the Elephants putting direct pressure on the Nigerians who were sometimes messy defensively, but always dangerous in attack with players like Osimhen, Lookman or Chukwueze capable of dazzling attacks at any time and in search of their first victory of the competition after its draw against Equatorial Guinea (1-1).
Read alsoCAN 2024: relive Ivory Coast’s first defeat in the tournament against Nigeria (1-0)
In front of their public, in an Alassane Ouattara stadium announced as a sellout by the Confederation of African Football, the Ivorians were first able to impose their rhythm on the Super Eagles by winning the midfield battle without ever succeeding in achieving a few goals. rare occasions which punctuated here and there a very close match.
Nigeria takes the lead from the penalty spot
Led by Séko Fofana, already a scorer in the opening match and once again in a big evening, Franck Kessié and Ibrahim Sangaré left crumbs for Alex Iwobi and Ogochukwu Onyeka who faced them. At half-time, the two teams returned to the locker room with a goalless draw, the slight domination of the Elephants having not borne fruit.
But from the start of the second period, the match got out of hand when, following contact between Ousmane Diomande and Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian striker collapsed in the area. The referee does not whistle, but called by the Var, he finally points to the penalty spot. Under the boos of the entire stadium, the Nigerian captain William Troost-Ekong was responsible for transforming it without trembling.
Fofana’s omnipresence was not enough
Trailing in a match that they seemed to have mastered, the Elephants will try everything to try to come back to the score. Always under the leadership of an omnipresent Séko Fofana, whether in defense or attack, the Elephants set off to attack Stankey Nwabali’s goal pushed by nearly 50,000 people in the stadium.
The returns of Nicolas Pépé, Jonathan Bamba and Jean-Michael Séri in the 66th minute further increased the pressure on the Nigerian defense. But, just like the Super Eagles, the Elephants have never been able to prove themselves dangerous enough to really worry the Nigerians, ready to do anything to defend their meager advantage. Despite numerous attempts at strikes, often a little desperate, Jean-Louis Gasset’s men were unable to come back to the score.
If the result does not call into question the Elephants’ qualification for the eighth, they will absolutely have to win against Equatorial Guinea in their last group match. Ivory Coast, now third in the group, thought it would reassure itself to approach its last match calmly, but it will ultimately be necessary to fight until the end to obtain its qualification.
Read alsoCAN 2024: The calendar and all the results