Game on..

Let's go there..

.

Let's go there...

Carot:
Let us pray. Father in the almighty name of jesus. I commit these two team into your hands. One team wears orange, the other wears green. Father as they play, let there fairplay and let us cash out

May the team that wear green and white win tonight

In Jesus name


Everyone say Amen

Ni

mariahAngel:
Who is this one?

Na me

Super eagles calm down you've not won anything yet



Let's forget the semi finals celebration and focus on today finals match


Just one more game...

Samueltemi337:
Victor Osimhen will win it
After he scores and hattrick in the finals
And the Super Eagles of Nigeria lifts the trophy
Y'all will see it tomorrow

Anything is possible

Ivory Coast vs Nigeria:
How the 2 nations have performed in past AFCON finals


Ivory Coast play Nigeria in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
The Super Eagles have already beaten the hosts once this season
Past data shows just how the two nations have performed in past finals
Join our WhatsApp channel to stay in the game and never miss a beat with our real-time updates.

The stage is set for the ultimate showdown in the Africa Cup of Nations as Ivory Coast prepares to take on Nigeria in the final on Sunday, February 11.

In what promises to be a mammoth encounter, a nation that has won the competition twice in the past comes up against one that has three AFCON titles.

Nigeria are looking for a fourth AFCON title.

Nigeria will surely go into the final as favourites, having proven themselves in the run-up to the final.

Also, The Super Eagles have already beaten the Elephants 1-0 in the group stage and will be looking to win again against the same opponents in the AFCON for the first time since they did so against Senegal in 2006 (when they beat the Lions of Teranga in the Group stage and the third place play-off), per Opta.



When it comes to cup finals, several factors can come into play when it comes to determining the winner.

In the past, brilliant footballing nations have stumbled when it matters in the final, as sometimes factors like experience in the grand stage end up being the difference between a win and the pain of defeat.

Between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, the two nations have their fair share of experience in playing at the AFCON finals.


It goes without saying that the Super Eagles are superior in this department, having featured in seven finals in the past, winning it three times.

In comparison, Ivory Coast have played in four finals since 1957, winning in two of those matches. Their latest AFCON triumph came in 2015 when they beat Ghana 9-8 in a penalty shootout in Estadio de Bata in Equatorial Guinea.


While the Super Eagles certainly have a decent record in going all the way to the final, the fact that they have lost more finals than they have won paints a worrying picture ahead of the showdown at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.


Ivory Coast have won 50% of the AFCON finals they have played in, while Nigeria have won just 42.3 of the finals they have played in.

Here is a breakdown of all of Nigeria’s AFCON final results before the 2023 edition of the competition:

1980: Won their first title by beating Algeria 3-1

1984 - Lost 3-1 to Cameroon

1988 - Lost 1-0 to Cameroon

1990: Lost 1-0 to Algeria

1994: Won 2-1 vs Zambia

2000: Lost 4-3 to Cameroon in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw AET

2013: Won 1-0 against Burkina Faso

Super Eagles to faceoff against Messi as Argentina confirms friendly with Nigera



Ivory Coast's performances in the AFCON final in the past looks like this:

1992: Beat Ghana 11-10 on penalties to win their first title

2006: Lost 4-2 to Egypt on penalties

2012: Beaten by Zambia 8-7 via penalties

2015: Beat Ghana 9-8 on penalties

How Ivory coast avoided elimination
Ivory Coast’s journey to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has been extraordinary.

As Sports Brief reported, they started the competition with a comfortable 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau before suffering back-to-back defeats against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.



Nigeria and the Ivory Coast are billed to contest the AFCON final in front of 60,000 supporters as the Super Eagles seek to win their fourth continental title while the hosts are gunning for their third.

I sha won remind una how much Nigeria go collect if we win this 2023 AFCON on Sunday.😋😋

• If we win Ivory Coast on Sunday, we go collect ($7 mill!on) 10 billi0n naira( Ten billi0n one hundred forty-seven milli0n nine hundred sixty-six thousand two hundred forty-eight naira).😋😋

• Ivory Coast wey carry second go collect $4 million ( 5.7 bill!on naira) because na dem collect 2nd, atleast dem try na e no easy to carry 2nd for class.

• South Africa and D.R Congo wey reach Semi final go collect $2.5m each ( 3.6 billion naira) both of dem go play today make dem see who go carry third.

• Ghana and Cameroon go collect thanks for coming m0ney atleast small thing go reach their hands, you no fit invite W0man you go give am transport money to go back.

Inside that our money, we go commot two hundred and forty-eight naira ( 248 naira) buy two handkerchiefs give di two countries make dem use dey clean tEars when we dey lift dey trophy.😋
#AFCON2023

I sha won remind una how much Nigeria go collect if we win this 2023 AFCON on Sunday.😋😋

• If we win Ivory Coast on Sunday, we go collect ($7 mill!on) 10 billi0n naira( Ten billi0n one hundred forty-seven milli0n nine hundred sixty-six thousand two hundred forty-eight naira).😋😋

• Ivory Coast wey carry second go collect $4 million ( 5.7 bill!on naira) because na dem collect 2nd, atleast dem try na e no easy to carry 2nd for class.

• South Africa and D.R Congo wey reach Semi final go collect $2.5m each ( 3.6 billion naira) both of dem go play today make dem see who go carry third.

• Ghana and Cameroon go collect thanks for coming m0ney atleast small thing go reach their hands, you no fit invite W0man you go give am transport money to go back.

Inside that our money, we go commot two hundred and forty-eight naira ( 248 naira) buy two handkerchiefs give di two countries make dem use dey clean tEars when we dey lift dey trophy.😋

#AFCON2023

Wish South Africa


All the best



Pacy Tau....

Let's do it again

The Cameroon game is still our best in the tournament. We really dominated the game and neutralized our opponents. If Super Eagles can replicate the fire/total domination they displayed against Cameroon they’re definitely winning the trophy in 90 minutes
I pray they’ve recovered well for the finals
Energy Energy

Bluntguy:
For me, it's Ekong, Nwabali, Osimhen and Lookman in that order. 1,2,3,4 Naija

Why

So guys

Who do you think should win the best player of this year AFCON 2023 and why

Victor Osimhen..... Nigeria
Ademola Lookman.. Nigeria
Sebastien Haller....Cote d ivore
Stanley Nwabali....Nigeria
William Troost-Ekong,...Nigeria
percy tau ...... South Africa
Emiliano Esue..... Equatorial Guinea

AFCON 2023 Best Player of Tournament Contenders: Nwabali, Troost Ekong Lead


The 2023 AFCON Best Player of the Tournament is set to ignite debate
The two finalists are most likely to produce the winner after Sunday's game
Sports Brief looks at some of the leading contenders as things stand


The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is on its homestretch with Nigeria and the hosts Ivory Coast the remaining teams to battle it out for the title.


Nigeria beat a troublesome South Africa in the penalty shoot-outs while Ivory Coast saw off DR Congo to set up a repeat of the group stage clash, which the Super Eagles won.

Any player will tell you that the collective honours come first as most of them target their first silverware in national team colours. However, after the February 11 final, CAF will fete a couple of players individual honours.

AFCON Golden Ball winners
Top of the bunch will be the best player of the tournament, who will be given the Golden Ball. A quick check by Sports Brief shows that players whose teams have won the title are always in good standing to win the award.

Losing finalists have also, in the past, won the award, with Christian Atsu (Ghana 2015) and Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso 2013) being the most recent examples. There have been three cases of bronze medalists winning the award: Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria 2004), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia 1996), and Hassan El-Shazly (Egypt 1963).

We have only had two cases of a player whose team finished fourth being declared the best player of the tournament - Aziz Bouderbala (Morocco 1988) and Laurent Pokou (Ivory Coast 1970). No player has ever won the award if his team didn't reach the semi-finals.


Holders Senegal remain team to beat after spectacular AFCON group stage

Holders Senegal remain team to beat after spectacular AFCON group stage
AFCON 2023 Best Player candidates
In light of the above, it is safe to assume that a player from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa or DR Congo will be in line to replace Sadio Mane. Sports Brief looks at the leading contenders ahead of the Sunday final.

5. Victor Osimhen - Nigeria
The reigning African Player of the Year hasn't scored as much as he would have liked to, but he has been instrumental nonetheless in Jose Peseiro's approach.


The Napoli forward incessant work rate has won Nigeria two penalties, provided an assist and scored once. A lifetime performance in the final could propel him to the award.

4. Franck Kessie - Ivory Coast
After initially being dropped by interim manager Emerse Fae for the clash against Senegal, the former Barcelona man has returned to the fold to be the leading light of the Elephants.


Ivory Coast's pathetic group-stage campaign will work against him, but his displays against Senegal (off the bench), Mali and DR Congo (Man of the Match) put him in good standing among all the Ivorian players.

3. Ademola Lookman - Nigeria
Despite Ademola Lookman missing a couple of decent opportunities, he is still the leading goalscorer of the remaining teams.

With three goals to his name, the Atalanta forward can bridge the gap between him and the topscorer Emilio Nsue in the final game. Zambia's Christopher Katongo was the last player to win both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball.


2. Stanley Nwabali - Nigeria
You will have to go back to 1968 when DR Congo's Kazadi Mwamba became the first and only goalkeeper to date to win AFCON's best player award.

Nwabali has demanded that Nigerian and African football fans take cognizance of him with impeccable goalkeeping. He leads the goalkeepers in clean sheets. His two saves in the shoot-out against South Africa helped his side progress.


So much for someone who had 'not been tested' before.

1. William Troost-Ekong - Nigeria
Leader. Captain. Goalscorer.

In tournaments like these, all the plaudits tend to go to the goalscorers and marquee stars. But Troost-Ekong has redefined Nigeria's campaign, sitting in the middle of Peseiro's three-man defence. They have only conceded twice in the whole tournament, one from the penalty spot.


Up front, he has scored two penalties, both in critical times, to keep his country's quest for a first AFCON title since 2013 going. If Nigeria beat Ivory Coast on Sunday and Troost-Ekong has another decent game, it is hard to see why he shouldn't win the award.

Cameroon great Rigobert Song is the last defender to win the award.

Other mentions
The aforementioned players must have a really pathetic game in the final for a South African player, or DR Congo have a look-in at the award. In the unlikely case, it happens, Ronwen Williams and Teboho Mokoena have been outstanding for Bafana Bafana, while Chancel Mbemba has led from the front for Fimbu.

Sebastien Haller, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, AFCON 2023, Stanley Nwabali, William Troost-Ekong,



https://sportsbrief.com/football/58619-afcon-2023-player-tournament-contenders-nwabali-troost-ekong-lead/

camri:
he's going in the next 48 hours. Finidi will take over

Allow him. Cherish the moment

Amotolongbo:
What many of you didn’t know is that Osimhen playing in AFCON is not a joy for the Naple team. Osimhen is the main striker in Napoli, the longer Nigeria stays in the competition, the more it affects Napoli.

South African League has been on holiday since last year and it is resuming after the AFCON, they can afford to celebrate their players

Not enough reason
All the clubs are showing their players they love and value them

Even lecester City that Iheanacho just played one minute has recognized his impact

Liverpool were following Salah all the way till he returned

So what's different with Napoli.?
This is arguably your best player
Nothing to even say we miss you but best of luck

Must you allow every one to protest before you act.

Anyway they're after how much they'll make from selling him. Nothing more from their board.

Get lost - Nigerians unimpressed as Napoli offer late congrats to Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen and Napoli continue their off pitch drama.


Serie A champions Napoli were slammed by Nigerians last week for not celebrating Victor Osimhen's efforts with Nigeria at AFCON 2023.

Napoli finally congratulated striker Victor Osimhen on Nigeria's qualification to the AFCON 2023 final, eliciting scathing reactions from Nigerians online.


Pulse Sports can report that Napoli’s wishes came 24 hours after Nigeria's dramatic semifinal win over South Africa and days after the club was dragged on social media by Super Eagles fans.

Napoli and Osimhen

As reported by Pulse Sporrts Nigeria, the Serie A champions were criticised on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) because they had refused to acknowledge the performance of their star striker Osimhen in Cote d’Ivoire.

The 25-year-old has played a crucial role in Nigeria’s impressive journey to the final at the 34th AFCON.

Many clubs have been consistent with messages to their players, including the domestic leagues in Europe led by the English Premier League and Ligue 1 adding their voices to support their players in the competition.

But there was a particular hollow silence from Italian champions Napoli, leading to a backlash from Nigerians.


Napoli post Osimhen
Days after the viral posts, Napoli have finally posted on social media praising Osimhen's performances at AFCON following the penalty shootout win against South Africa.

“Congratulations to @victorosimhen9 and @NGSuperEagles on reaching the final of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations! “the club posted.

But Nigerian fans have now reacted to the club's message, with many of them believing it was too late and posting dismissive messages while accusing Napoli of not valuing their star forward.

Having snubbed Osimhen after previous AFCON games, Napoli's delayed congrats was seen as disrespectful, especially as Osimhen has led Nigeria's charge amid injury worries.

The Nigerian supporters believe he deserves more timely recognition from his Serie A employers.

Here are some of the reactions from Nigerians to Napoli’s message on





Lalasticlala mynd44 mukina2
https://www.pulsesports.ng/football/story/get-lost-nigerians-unimpressed-as-napoli-offer-late-congrats-to-victor-osimhen-2024020813475000999

Napoli no sabi congratulate Osimhen?

Stanley Nwabili should replace Andre Onana at man United

gloryman91:
Which country is this coach and wife from ?

Portugal

AFCON 2023: Jose Peseiro’s wife and daughter celebrate Super Eagles after reaching finals


Jose Peseiro’s wife and daughter have joined Nigerians worldwide to celebrate the Super Eagles on reaching the finals of AFCON 2023

AFCON 2023: Jose Peseiro’s wife and daughter celebrate Super Eagles after reaching finals

Jose Peseiro’s family are rooting for Nigeria in the final showdown of the AFCON 2023.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have soared to new heights in the AFCON 2023 tournament, and the celebrations are not limited to the players and fans alone.


Jose Peseiro, the head coach of the Nigerian national team, received heartfelt support and jubilation from his own family following the team's historic qualification for the finals.


In a heartwarming display of familial pride and solidarity, Jose Peseiro's wife, Fatima, and daughter, Susana, were present at the Peace Stadium in Bouaké to witness Nigeria's thrilling victory over South Africa's Bafana Bafana.

As the Super Eagles clinched their spot in the AFCON finals for the first time since 2013, Fatima and Susana Peseiro shared in the euphoria alongside fellow supporters.


Susana, in particular, took to social media to capture and share the joyous moment with a snapshot of her family during the match.


Accompanied by the Nigerian flag and eagle emoji, her Instagram post displayed the pride and excitement felt by the Peseiro family as they cheered on the Super Eagles to victory.


Jose Peseiro's tenure as head coach of the Super Eagles has been met with skepticism and scrutiny, with doubts lingering over his ability to guide the team to success.

Following Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup under his leadership, Peseiro faced mounting pressure to deliver results in the AFCON 2023 tournament.

However, Peseiro and his team have defied expectations, showcasing an impressive defensive record and resilient performances throughout the competition.


With Nigeria now on the cusp of reclaiming continental glory in the finals against Ivory Coast, Peseiro has the opportunity to silence his critics and cement his legacy as a successful coach for the Super Eagles.

With the unwavering support of his family and the Nigerian faithful behind him, Peseiro stands poised to lead Nigeria to their fourth AFCON title and etch his name in the annals of Nigerian football history, when Nigeria and Ivory Coast lock horns on February 11.



https://www.pulsesports.ng/sports-gist/story/afcon-2023-jose-peseiros-wife-and-daughter-celebrate-super-eagles-after-reaching-finals-2024020806311527040

LeeSmart:

Better dan Alison, sanchez nd Raya put together. That boy is good.

NPFL has given us the best keepers

Nwabali

RandomForest:


AFCON 2013

Nigeria 1- 1 Burkina Faso in group stages

Final Nigeria 1 - 0 Burkina Faso

You tried
But actually South Africa hosted the tournament for the second time, after previously hosting the 1996 African Cup of Nations and Nigeria won it. Stephen Keshi and his boys

In 1990

Nigeria played host Algeria

Losing 5-1 opening match

And Finals 1-0



But this year 2024

Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast
group stage

And Finals

Nigeria vs Ivory Coast


Let's go there

The 3rd place will be

South Africa vs DR Congo