In a pivotal match at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Nigeria secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Ivory Coast, bringing them closer to securing a spot in the competition’s second round.
The decisive goal came from the foot of William Troost-Ekong, the team’s assistant captain and central defender for PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece. Troost-Ekong confidently converted a penalty in the 55th minute, sealing the Super Eagles’ lone-goal triumph over the Elephants.
The Super Eagles had entered the game after a 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea in their group opener. Knowing that a positive result was essential, especially after Ivory Coast’s 2-0 win against Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria faced a challenging task.
Equatorial Guinea’s 4-2 victory over Guinea-Bissau, led by Emiliano Nsue’s hat-trick, added further complexity to Nigeria’s position, pushing them to the top of Group A. Determined to stay in contention, the Super Eagles rose to the challenge and secured a crucial win against the host nation, joining Equatorial Guinea at the summit of the group with both teams now holding four points.
With their final group match approaching, Nigeria is set to face Guinea-Bissau, while Equatorial Guinea will confront Ivory Coast in a showdown that will determine their fate in the tournament.
