Three points will be at stake as Ivory Coast and Nigeria's Super Eagles go head-to-head at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023). Which of these teams will be left standing at the end of this clash?
Ivory Coast vs Nigeria overview
This Group A game will take place at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium on Thursday January 18. Kick-off time is 6 pm WAT.
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast kicked off their AFCON campaign with a 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau. They are currently leading the Group A standings with three points. Given that some third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16, the Elephants will secure a place in the knockout stages if they win this match.
Nigeria
On the other hand, Nigeria's Super Eagles fell short in their opener, settling for a 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea. With two games left to play, they'll need all the points they can get.
José Peseiro's troops will need to hold their own against Ivory Coast if they intend to be seen as contenders.
Ivory Coast vs Nigeria head to head
Ivory Coast and Nigeria first met in March 1967, in the qualifying rounds of AFCON 1968. Including the African Nations Championships (CHAN), these teams have gone toe-to-toe with each other on 27 occasions.
As it stands, the Ivorians lead the head-to-head between these teams with nine wins. The Super Eagles have eight wins, while 10 of their encounters ended in stalemates.
It's worth mentioning that Nigeria have won three AFCON titles, and they faced Ivory Coast in all their title-winning campaigns. These teams last met in a friendly game in 2015, where Ivory Coast won by a lone goal.
Ivory Coast vs Nigeria potential lineups
Jean-Louis Gasset will not be able to call upon the services of Simon Adingra and Sebastian Haller, as both players are ruled out with injuries. The Elephants are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation.
Likewise, José Peseiro is expected to adopt the same formation. Alhassan Yusuf faces a late fitness test, and will likely be replaced by Joe Aribo in Nigeria's starting XI.
On that note, these are our probable Ivory Coast vs Nigeria lineups:
Ivory Coast
Goalkeeper: Yahia Fofana.
Defenders: Wilfried Singo, Ousmane Diomande, Evan Ndicka, Ghislain Konan.
Midfielders: Seko Fofana, Franck Kessie, Ibrahim Sangaré.
Forwards: Jérémie Boga, Jean-Philippe Krasso, Nicolas Pepe.
Nigeria
Goalkeeper: Stanley Nwabali.
Defenders: Zaidu Sanusi, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina.
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo.
Forwards: Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze.
Ivory Coast vs Nigeria tactical analysis
Ivory Coast are the favourites to win this match, which isn't really a surprise. For one, they have the advantage of playing this tournament on home soil.
Also, Gasset's side have enjoyed some fine form lately, winning four matches in a row. They haven't had too much trouble finding the net, with a whopping 18 goals scored in that four-game stretch. Furthermore, the Ivorians have been able to rely on their solid defence, which allowed just one goal in their last four matches.
This is in contrast with the Super Eagles, who have conceded in six consecutive matches. Peseiro's men managed one win in their last six games, with four draws and a loss. They averaged exactly one goal per game in their last five matches.
Ivory Coast vs Nigeria prediction
Taking into account that Ivory Coast conceded one goal in their last four matches, they've been involved in a few low-scoring games lately. The Elephants saw five of their last seven games go below the 2.5 goal threshold.
In like manner, Nigeria's last four games hit the under, and that's why we don't think these teams will score up to three goals between them.
Our Ivory Coast vs Nigeria prediction is under 2.5 total goals.
Where to watch Ivory Coast vs Nigeria live
RTI La 3 and Canal+ CAN will broadcast this match on TV for fans who reside in Ivory Coast.
On the other hand, Nigerians can catch all the action live on Supersport and StarTimes Sports Premium.
