Photo Credit: Oluwaseyi/ X

Nigeria secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, January 18, in a closely contested match at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023.

This clash featured two formidable continental teams, both initially considered strong contenders for the tournament title. However, with this defeat, Côte d’Ivoire now finds itself in a challenging position to remain in the competition.

The first half concluded without any goals, despite numerous missed opportunities from both sides. Star striker Victor Osimhen of Nigeria had a chance in the 10th minute, while Côte d’Ivoire’s Christian Kouame missed an opportunity a minute later.

In the early stages of the second half, Nigeria broke the deadlock when William Troost-Ekong converted a penalty in the 55th minute.

As the match approached its final 15 minutes, the host team had two promising opportunities with Nicolas Pepe and Seko Fofana, creating tense moments. However, as stoppage time extended beyond 11 minutes, Côte d’Ivoire failed to find an equalizer.

Looking ahead, Côte d’Ivoire will face Equatorial Guinea on Monday, January 22, while Nigeria is scheduled to play against Guinea-Bissau.