In their second group match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Nigeria emerged victorious with a 1-0 win against Ivory Coast, positioning themselves closer to qualification for the competition’s second round.
The decisive goal for the Super Eagles was netted by the team’s assistant captain, William Troost-Ekong. The central defender from PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece successfully converted a penalty in the 55th minute, securing the lone goal of the match.
Having previously played to a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their group opener, Nigeria recognized the importance of securing at least a draw against Ivory Coast, who had previously defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0.
Equatorial Guinea’s 4-2 victory over Guinea-Bissau, led by Emiliano Nsue’s hat-trick, had momentarily placed Nigeria in a challenging position. However, the Super Eagles responded emphatically by defeating the host nation, propelling themselves to joint leadership of Group A alongside Equatorial Guinea, both teams accumulating four points ahead of their final group stage encounters.
In their last group match, Nigeria is set to face Guinea-Bissau, while Equatorial Guinea will clash with Ivory Coast. The outcomes of these matches will determine the teams advancing to the AFCON 2023 knockout stage.