How Nigeria Eased Past Ivory Coast

By Soibi Versatile


The Super Eagles of Nigeria played their second game of the tournament today against Ivory Coast. The hosts Ivory Coast came into this game second placed in the group behind Equatorial Guinea who had just walloped Guinea Bissau 4-2 in their own Match Day 2 fixture keeping them top of group A having had a healthier goal scored.


The eagles boss Coach Jose Peseiro fielded a strong team just like the game against Equatorial Guinea with Victor Osimhen playing as a lone striker but this time in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Alex Iwobi playing just behind Osimhen in a number 10 role while Lookman and Samuel Chukweze played on the flanks. Samuel Chukweze took the place of Moses Simon who started against Equatorial Guinea. The center back partnership of Semi Ajayi and Samuel Troost -Ekong remained unchanged. Goal keeper Stanley Nwabali retained his spot in goal.

The game began with the hosts holding out for most of the possession in the game but however it was the Super Eagles who had the first real chance of the game when Victor Osimhen was played through a nice ball but he over hit his shot over the bar. There was a defensive blunder at the back by the super Eagles with the Ivorians pouncing on it but they couldn't convert the chance. Minutes later Seko Fofana fired a long range shot only to be denied by Nwabali in the Nigerian goal. The game ends 0-0 at half time.


The second half began with a bang as early on there was a foul on Victor Osimhen by Ousmane Diamonde. The referee initially allowed the game to carry on before being called by the Video Assistant Referee and then awarding a penalty after looking critically at the VAR monitor.
Captain William Troost- Ekong steeped up and dispatched it home by drilling a fierce shot down the middle.
The Super Eagles were now having a spell of dominance with the ball while the hosts defended well.

Ivory Coast manager Jean-Louis Gasset made some changes taking off former Spurs defender Sergie Aurier, J. Boga and J. Bamba, bringing on former Arsenal player Nicolas Pepe.
The Nigerian side also made a change with Moses Simon coming on for Samuel Chukweze.

In the 82nd minute Samuel Osayi took the ball running through the Ivorian defence till the 18 yard box with one option on his left and the other on his right but the player chose to be selfish with the chance before being dispossessed by the Ivorian defence.
The game ends 1-0 with the Super Eagles moving to 2nd in the group leaving the hosts in third place.



Soibi Versatile is Daily Memoirs' Chief Writer.

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