Africa Cup of Nations
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Played
February 3, 2013 3:00 PM GMT
Royal Bafokeng Stadium — Phokeng, NW
Referee:‬ D. Haïmoudi‎
Attendance:‬ 25000‎
 
50′ Cheikh Tiote
Emenike 43′
 
Sunday Mba 78′

Nigeria - Cote d’Ivoire Preview: Super Eagles look to shock the Elephants

Stephen Keshi's side go into the game firmly in the role of underdogs, against the team strongly tipped to lift this year's Africa Cup of Nations trophy

By Babajide Alaka

More On :  Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire vs Nigeria
Eagles celebrate versus Ethiopia
Getty
  PROBABLE LINEUPS


NIGERIA
Angola
Enyeama
Ambrose, Oboabona, Omeruo, Elderson
Igiebor, Mikel, Nankwo
Musa, Emenike, Moses
COTE D'IVOIRE
 Morocco
Barry
Eboue, Bamba, K. Toure, Tiene
Ya Konan, Y. Toure, Zokora
Kalou, Drogba, Gervinho
Without doubt, the Super Eagles of Nigeria are the underdogs in this Africa Cup of Nations encounter and the manner of qualification from Group C showed why they are considered so. On the other hand, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire are the overwhelming favourites and showed how strong they are by making nine changes in their last group match against Algeria on Wednesday.

And to further underline their readiness to win this title at last, they came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Algeria, so with all this in mind it is clear that the Eagles will have a tough task on Sunday. But that is the beauty of football – though Didier Drogba and his team are favourites, they must still prove it over 90 minutes or beyond on Sunday in Rustenburg.

The all-time head to head record is in Cote d’Ivoire’s favour with five wins against four for Nigeria and in the Afcon history, they have played five times with two wins each but the Ivorians have had the better in the recent past with two 1-0 victories in 2006 and 2008.

Sunday is another day, however, and the Eagles need to raise their game to match and fight the Elephants for a semi-final place.

The Ivorians will be pinning their transition in attack on Gervinho, as he has been in fine form for the Elephants, scoring two goals in two matches. There is also the powerhouse, Yaya Toure, who will most likely win the midfield battle against the Eagles.

But the Elephants have a dubious central defensive pairing of Soulemanye Bamba and Kolo Toure or Didier Zokora, and a slightly above average goalkeeper in Boubacar Barry. So the only chink in Cote d'Ivoire’s armour is targeting the middle of their defence, but will the Nigerians get that far in order to exploit this weakness?

It can be done but the players must completely buy into the concept that they will have to defend for 90 minutes and must be very disciplined in marking the spaces that Salomon Kalou and Gervinho will be looking to exploit. The Ivorians also have an inexperienced coach in Sabri Lamouchi – so if there is a hiccup to the favoured scenario, he could panic.

So it is defence into attack, using the classic grab and run format because man for man, Nigeria cannot withstand the Elephants.

Fegor Ogude will be absent, which is a body blow to the Eagles as he would have relished the battle with Yaya Toure, Didier Zokora and Ya Konan, who are expected to be the midfield trident for Cote d’Ivoire, but Mikel has been cleared for the match by Caf.

The last time both teams met at the Nations Cup in 2008, Salomon Kalou scored the only goal of that encounter. The Elephants, who are favourites for the title, will be hoping to re-enact that score line. This time the score line could be a mirror image of what has happened recently between both teams.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  • Nigeria has won the Nations Cup twice while Cote d’Ivoire have won it once.
  • Didier Drogba has scored 60 goals for Cote d'Ivoire.
  • Joseph Yobo has now been capped by Nigeria 90 times.
  • Didier Zokora (pictured) is the most capped Elephant with 109 caps.
  • Nigeria will be hoping to make it a 10th semi-final appearance in 17 outings.
  • Cote d’Ivoire is the first national team coaching job for 44-year old Sabri Lamouchi.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Cote d'Ivoire 1-2 Nigeria
    36.7 %
  • Cote d'Ivoire 0-1 Nigeria
    11.62 %
  • Cote d'Ivoire 0-2 Nigeria
    9.66 %
Head to Head
Africa Cup of Nations ‎(ACN)‎ Feb 3, 2013 Cote d'Ivoire 1 - Nigeria 2
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Africa Cup of Nations 2008 ‎(ACN8)‎ Jan 21, 2008 Nigeria 0 - Cote d'Ivoire 1
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Last Five Matches
Cote d'Ivoire
Mar 23, 2013Cote d'Ivoire 3 - Gambia 0WCQ
Feb 3, 2013Cote d'Ivoire 1 - Nigeria 2ACN
Jan 30, 2013Algeria 2 - Cote d'Ivoire 2ACN
Jan 26, 2013Cote d'Ivoire 3 - Tunisia 0ACN
Jan 22, 2013Cote d'Ivoire 2 - Togo 1ACN
Nigeria
Mar 23, 2013Nigeria 1 - Kenya 1WCQ
Feb 10, 2013Nigeria 1 - Burkina Faso 0ACN
Feb 6, 2013Mali 1 - Nigeria 4ACN
Feb 3, 2013Cote d'Ivoire 1 - Nigeria 2ACN
Jan 29, 2013Ethiopia 0 - Nigeria 2ACN
Odds
Returns: Cote d'Ivoire £5010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £130.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Nigeria £50.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Team News
Available Squads
1CopaGoalkeeper
17Siaka TiénéDefender
21Emmanuel EboueDefender
22Sol BambaDefender
5D. ZokoraMidfielder
-RomaricMidfielder
9Cheikh TioteMidfielder
19Yaya Touré Midfielder
8Salomon KalouStriker
10GervinhoStriker
11Didier DrogbaStriker
16D. YeboahGoalkeeper
-Badra Ali SangaréGoalkeeper
3Arthur BokaDefender
4Kolo ToureDefender
-Ismael TraoreDefender
20I. LoloDefender
-Abdul RazakMidfielder
9Arouna KoneStriker
12Wilfried BonyStriker
13Didier Ya Konan Striker
15Max-Alain GradelStriker
11Lacina TraoreStriker
1Vincent EnyeamaGoalkeeper
21Uwa Elderson EchiejileDefender
5E. AmbroseDefender
14Godfrey OboabonaDefender
6Kenneth OmeruoDefender
10John Obi MikelMidfielder
11Victor MosesMidfielder
4Ogenyi OnaziMidfielder
19Sunday MbaMidfielder
9EmenikeStriker
7B. IdeyeStriker
16Austin EjideGoalkeeper
23Chigozie AgbimGoalkeeper
2Joseph YoboDefender
6Azubuike EgwuekeDefender
21Juwon OshaniwaDefender
4Nwankwo ObiorahMidfielder
12Reuben GabrielMidfielder
13Fegor OgudeMidfielder
18E. UzoenyiStriker
20N. IgieborStriker
-Ahmed Musa
15UcheStriker
Players to Watch
Gervinho
Gervinho
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 10
Games Goals YC RC
3 3 0 0
Having scored two goals in this tournament so far, Gervinho brings a lot of pace into the Ivorian team. He can outrun defenders to score and can also create opportunities for team mates to punish the opposing defence. The Arsenal man will give Nigeria's young back line a hectic time in this match.
Victor Moses
Victor Moses
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 11
Games Goals YC RC
5 4 0 0
Alsow with two goals from the penalty spot, Victor Moses has slowly grown in stature in this tournament and will be a handful for the Ivorian defenders from the wings where he will support Emmanuel Emenike. Nigeria will hope he can pose the same danger he created in the game against Ethiopia where he won and converted their penalties.
Prediction
The Elephants are going into this encounter as overwhelming favourites with their array of experienced stars. It has always been a close game between both sides and this one will not be different even though the Nigerians are playing with a vastly young team. Expect the Ivorians to edge this one.
Editor's Prediction
Cote d'Ivoire 1
Nigeria 0
Results
Quarter Finals
Times In GMT
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Didier Drogba Didier Drogba
Striker
Galatasaray 		6 3
Mbokani Mbokani
Striker
Anderlecht 		5 2
Alain Traoré Alain Traoré
Midfielder
FC Lorient 		5 0
Wakaso Wakaso
Midfielder
Espanyol 		4 3
Victor Moses Victor Moses
Midfielder
Chelsea 		4 2