Nigeria vs Côte d’Ivoire: AFCON 2023 final pits rivals in epic battle for continental crown
(CAF) – A titanic clash awaits African football as Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire contest the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2023 final on Sunday. This heavyweight bout sees two bitter rivals collide with continental glory at stake.
Africa Cup of Nations
February 11th will witness a final for the ages at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium. When these foes last met in the group stage, Nigeria edged out the hosts 1-0.
However, with redemption on the line, Côte d’Ivoire will be a different beast. And Nigeria know preventing the Elephants from winning a third AFCON on home soil represents their toughest test.
For Nigerian manager Jose Peseiro, outwitting Côte d’Ivoire boss Emerse Fae will be key. Peseiro’s tactical nous guided Nigeria past South Africa in a penalty shootout thriller on Wednesday’s first semi final
But Fae’s also showed grit to overcome DR Congo 1-0 in the semi-finals. Much will depend on the battle between Peseiro and fae on the touchline.
On the pitch, the stars will shine bright under the Abidjan lights. Côte d’Ivoire boasts star players Nicolas Pepe and prolific Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller.
Yet Nigeria have talents like Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and William Troost-Ekong in their ranks. With such pedigree on display, a goal-fest could await.
Whoever prevails, African football is the ultimate winner. This TotalEnergies CAF AFCON reaches a fitting crescendo with two heavyweights fighting for continental glory.
AFCON 2023 Knockout Bracket
| Round of 16 | Quarter-Final | Semi-Final | Final | Semi-Final | Quarter-Final | Round of 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Mali | |||||
January 27, 2024, 9:00 PM  2-0  | January 30, 2024, 6:00 PM  2-1  | |||||
| Nigeria | Mali | |||||
February 2, 2024, 6:00 PM 1-0  | February 3, 2024, 6:00 PM 1-2  | |||||
| Cameroon | Burkina Faso | |||||
| Nigeria | Côte d’Ivoire | |||||
| Angola | February 7, 2024, 6:00 PM 1-1  | February 7, 2024, 9:00 PM 1-0  | Senegal | |||
January 27, 2024, 6:00 PM 3-0  | January 29, 2024, 9:00 PM  1-1 | |||||
| Angola | Nigeria | Côte d’Ivoire | ||||
February 11, 2024, 9:00 PM 1-2 | ||||||
| Namibia | Côte d’Ivoire | |||||
| Cape Verde | Egypt | |||||
January 29, 2024, 6:00 PM  1-0  | January 28, 2024, 9:00 PM  1-1 | |||||
| Cape Verde | Côte d’Ivoire | DR Congo | ||||
February 3, 2024, 9:00 PM 0-0 | February 2, 2024, 9:00 PM 3-1  | |||||
| Mauritania | DR Congo | |||||
| South Africa | DR Congo | |||||
| Morocco | E. Guinea | |||||
January 30, 2024, 9:00 PM  0-2 | January 28, 2024, 6:00 PM  0-1 | |||||
| South Africa | Guinea | |||||
| South Africa | Guinea |
