Nigeria and Ivory Coast will come up against each other again in the ongoing AFCON 2023, but this time they meet in the final.
Date: 11/02/2024
Time: 21:00
Stadium: Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé
These predictions for the Nigeria vs Ivory Coast clash were made by Bookmaker Ratings. For more predictions on the NPFL, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga and other European football leagues, visit our Football Predictions & Betting Tips page.
Nigeria’s solid defence has been the mastermind behind their six-match unbeaten run [5W 1D] in the 2023 AFCON, and that includes a 1-0 win over Ivory Coast in the group stage. Ivory Coast have endured mixed results, including two defeats in the group stage. Based on both their performances, we predict Nigeria to win 1-0 against Ivory Coast.
We predict under 2.5 goals for the Nigeria vs Ivory Coast match, as four of Ivory Coast’s last six AFCON matches ended with under 2.5 goals, and Nigeria’s last six matches ended with less than three goals. Plus, the last time both countries crossed paths, Nigeria won 1-0.
We predict a penalty will be given for the Nigeria vs Ivory Coast match, as Williams Troost-Ekong scored a penalty the last time both countries met. Nigeria won and conceded a penalty in their semi-final game against South Africa, while Ivory Coast won a penalty against Senegal in the round of 16.
Nigeria set up a match against Ivory Coast in the final after they won against Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau and drew against Equatorial Guinea in the group stage. They would go on to eliminate Cameroon, Angola, and South Africa in the round of 16, quarter-final, and semi-final, respectively, although they needed to see off the Bafana Bafana on penalties after the regular time and extra time ended in a 1-1 draw.
Ivory Coast qualified for the knockout stage as the best losers after losing two of their three group stage matches to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea and winning Guinea-Bissau. Following their qualification to the next round of the competition, Ivory Coast would raise many eyebrows when they eliminated the likes of Senegal and Mali in the round of 16 and quarterfinal, respectively. The Elephants crashed DR Congo out of the competition, thanks to Sebastian Haller’s lone goal in the second half, and subsequently set up another meeting with Nigeria, but this time in the final.
Not everyone believes in superstition, but that doesn’t mean there’s no such thing as reoccurrence in football. Portugal qualified for the knockout stage as the best losers with 3 points, the same points (3) as Ivory Coast, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s side would go on to eliminate strong countries to set up a clash in the final against the best team in the competition, France, who didn’t lose any games, the same as Nigeria, and Portugal would go on to win 1-0 to win the competition.
Nigeria will meet Ivory Coast for the second time in this competition and will expect an entirely different Ivory Coast side than the one they came across in the group stage. However, it is safe to assume that the Super Eagles will head into this game stronger than they were last month. Hence, this encounter will be tough for both countries.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Nigeria: Nwabali, Ajayi, Troost-Ekong, Bassey, Aina, Iwobi, Onyeaka, Osayi-Samuel, Simon, Osimhen, Lookman
Ivory Coast: Fofana, Singo, Boly, Ndicka, Konan, Fofana, Kessie, Seri, Gradel, Haller, Adingra