Elephants crush Super Eagles 2-1 to become champions

Elephants crush Super Eagles 2-1 to become champions
Photo by Icon Sport

The Super Eagles and the Elephants of Ivory have clashed at AFCON seven times since 1980, but this is the first time both sides would meet in the final.

The encounters between both sides have always been fiery, with four group stage ties, twice in the semi-final and once in the quarter-final. The Super Eagles beat Ivory Coast 1-0 in the group stage and wanted to repeat the feat.

Victor Osimhen led the attack for the Super Eagles in AFCON 2023, knowing that the three times Nigeria played against Ivory Coast and did not lose, they won the tournament. The last time they played AFCON in Ivory Coast, they reached the final but lost to Cameroon in 1984.

While the Super Eagles were chasing their fourth title, Ivory Coast was chasing its third with the added incentive of being the hosts.

Ivory Coast came from a goal down to beat the Super Eagles 2-1 to become the African champions.

Ekong with Super Eagles goal in an underwhelming half

William Troost-Ekong gives Super Eagles the lead against Ivory Coast
Photo by Icon Sport

The game started with Ivory Coast exuding confidence occasioned by the vociferous home support they were enjoying from the fans.

Emerse Fae decided to return Serge Aurier to the starting lineup for the Elephants, while Jose Peseiro dropped Moses Simon for Samuel Chukwueze.

The Ivorians had some vim in their steps and pushed the Super Eagles back into their area early in the game.

Ivory Coast won two corner kicks in the first five minutes, but the Nigerian defence was up to the task.

In the sixth minute, the Super Eagles survived a nervy moment as a cross inside the box failed to find any orange shirt.

Like against South Africa in the semi-final, the Super Eagles struggled to settle into the game, with the Elephants imposing themselves on the Nigerian side.

The first ten minutes were all Ivory Coast, as Nigeria was holed up deep inside their box, but the Elephants struggled to create clear-cut chances.

With about a quarter of an hour played, Nigeria had committed five fouls against one by Ivory Coast.

By the 20th minute, the tempo had dropped, and the Super Eagles had started getting a grip on the match, but the Nigerian side was still nervy.

Max Gradel and Simon Adingra gave Nigeria problems on the wings, with Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi struggling to contain them.

The Ivorians were keeping a close eye on Osimhen and Chukwueze. In the 28th minute, Peseiro received a yellow card following protests about the referee's decisions.

Outside the early ten minutes, the game tapered into a dour and mildly ill-tempered match.

In the 33rd minute, Adingra could have given Ivory Coast the lead, but Stanley Nwabali blocked the shot and cleared out for a corner kick by Alex Iwobi.

The Ivorians continued to pile the pressure on the Super Eagles but got no joy from the Nigerian defence. However, the Super Eagles looked vulnerable and tired. Peseiro's wards offered little in attack.

The Super Eagles had a rare opportunity in the 36th minute, but Zaidu Sanusi's shot was blocked for a corner kick.

The Super Eagles took the lead from the corner kick. William Troost-Ekong powered a looping header that beat Yahia Fofana. It was Ekong's third goal of AFCON 2023 and he was also the scorer when the two sides clashed in the group stage.

The game continued on its slow tempo after the goal. In the 44th minute, Sébastien Haller teed up Franck Kessie nicely inside the box, but the midfielder could not get onto the end of the pass.

In the last second of the first half, Seko Fofana tested Nwabali with a long-range shot, but the Chippa United goalkeeper made a comfortable save.

The first half ended 1-0 in favour of the Super Eagles, who have only lost one final after they scored first – in 1984.

Two goals from Ivory Coast clips Super Eagles' wings

Kessie got the equalizer against the Super Eagles
Photo by Icon Sport

The second half started on a slow tempo, but the Ivorians quickly stepped it up and could have scored in the 47th minute, but a timely block by Calvin Bassey helped Nwabali to save.

The Elephants continued to stop the Super Eagles from spreading their wings as they would have liked.

Peseiro made his first substitution in the 56th minute, with Moses Simon replacing Chukwueze.

Nigeria continued to limit the chances of the Ivorians, leaving them with shots from outside the box.

Adingra gave the Super Eagles all sorts of problems. In the 60th minute, he meandered into the Nigerian box and laid it on a plate for Kessie, but his header did not trouble Nwabali.

The Super Eagles' performance was far from their best, as they looked tired.

In the 62nd minute, Nwabali blocked an Ivorian shot outside the box for a corner kick. Franck Kessie levelled from the corner kick with a header to equalize.

In the 74th minute, Haller executed a cute bicycle kick inside the box, but his effort was off target.

The pressure on the Nigerian defence finally told in the 80th minute. Adingra cut in from the wing and put a cross into the box for Haller to knock in.

The goal brought some spark into the Super Eagles, but the Ivory Coast defence remained resolute.

The Ivorians held on to their 2-1 lead to become the new African champions.

Nigeria vs Ivory Coast Lineups

Nigeria:
Stanley Nwabali, Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Frank Onyeka (Terem Moffi 86), Alex Iwobi (Alhassan Yusuf 79), Zaidu Sanusi (Joe Aribo 86), Samuel Chukwueze (Moses Simon 56), Ademola Lookman (Kelechi Iheanacho 79), Victor Osimhen

Subs: Paul Onuachu, Terem Moffi, Moses Simon, Francis Uzoho, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Chidozie Awaziem, Kenneth Omeruo, Alhassan Yusuf, Joe Aribo, Raphael Onyedika, Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho

Ivory Coast:
Yahia Fofana, Serge Aurier (Wilfried Stephane Singo 70), Odilon Kossounou, Evan Ndicka, Ghislain Konan, Franck Kessie, Jean Michaël Seri, Seko Fofana (Ibrahim Sangaré 88), Max Gradel (Oumar Diakite 70), Sébastien Haller (Jean-Philippe Krasso 88), Simon Adingra

Subs: Badra Ali Sangare, Ousmane Diomande, W. Singo, Ismael Diallo, Jeremie Boga, Ibrahim Sangaré, Lazare Amani, Jonathan Bamba, J. Krasso, Oumar Diakite, Nicolas Pepe, Christian Kouamé

This article was most recently revised and updated 12 months ago

Chooka Izuegbuna is a Sports Journalist with 20 years of experience in print, TV and Radio. He has worked with some of the top media houses in Nigeria, including NTA Network, Channels TV, TVC, Silverbird TV and MITV. Chooka broke his sports reporting teeth with The Game Football Weekly in 2003 as a cartoonist and reporter. Chooka has a passion for football and has been a fan of Enugu Rangers (over 30 years) and Real Madrid (Since 1996).