Africa Cup of Nations closing LIVE: Ivory Coast vs Nigeria latest build-up in the present day

Nigeria cruised by means of the group phases with seven factors earlier than defeating Cameroon, Angola and South Africa within the knockout phases.

Ivory Coast suffered a defeat to the Super Eagles then had been crushed 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea – a report home and Nations Cup loss.

They reached the knockout rounds as among the finest third-placed sides earlier than coming to life with dramatic knockout wins over Senegal and Mali then beating DR Congo within the final 4.

Can they declare the trophy tonight?

Nigeria’s head coach, Jose Peseiro, is just occupied with profitable tonight’s closing.

After a sluggish however regular begin to the event the Super Eagles have reached the Afcon showpiece and stands out as the slight favourites to assert the trophy regardless of Ivory Coast enjoying at home.

“The atmosphere will be fantastic and my players and staff all prefer to play in a full stadium, despite the level of noise,” mentioned Peseiro yesterday.

“Ivory Coast were favourites ahead of this tournament, but we want to win this Nations Cup. My only plan is to beat Ivory Coast and win this trophy for the people of Nigeria.”

Ivory Coast are the primary host nation to achieve the Afcon closing since Egypt in 2006, with 5 of the final six hosts to have contested the ultimate having gone on to elevate the trophy.

The solely exception to this stat being Nigeria in 2000.

Unbeaten in contrast to their opponents, the Nigerians are the highest-ranked of the finalists – rated sixth in Africa (and forty second on the planet), versus Ivory Coast’s African rating of eighth (and forty ninth total).

Who will triumph within the Africa Cup of Nations closing?

The Super Eagles are aiming for a fourth continental crown in Abidjan whereas the Ivorians need to add to their triumphs in 1992 and 2015.

The groups meet for the second time at this event, 24 days after the Ivorians suffered a first-ever home defeat by Nigeria who gained 1-0 within the group stage.

Can Nigeria repeat that efficiency on the largest stage?

Nigeria may have a powerful London connection in tonight’s Africa Cup of Nations closing with key gamers born in Britain prone to line up in opposition to the Ivory Coast.

There are 4 gamers born within the boroughs of the British capital within the Nigerian squad plus two different key regulars, Calvin Bassey and midfielder Alex Iwobi, who’ve lived in London from an early age.

Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman are English-born and have made a significant contribution to Nigeria’s progress to the ultimate.

Joe Aribo, additionally from London and who struggled with damage in the beginning of the event, has had restricted sport time however has contributed off the bench.

Lookman, who’s Nigeria’s prime scorer on the event with three objectives, is proving a wonderful companion in attack alongside African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen.

Aina has emerged as arguably the perfect proper again on view during the last month within the Ivory Coast whereas centre again Ajayi has performed each minute of their six video games.

Ivory Coast have had probably the most inconceivable run; minutes away from a bunch stage exit, they sacked the supervisor, regrouped and went once more below caretaker Emerse Fae. Late comebacks, gorgeous winners, penalties… all the things has gone their method since and the 1-0 win over DR Congo put them in a primary closing in almost a decade.

More than that, the group have gone from nationwide embarrassment, by means of restoring respectability and now to the purpose of being heroes in a number of quick weeks.

Since their final Afcon win in 2015, Ivory Coast have did not qualify for 2 successive World Cup finals, in Russia and Qatar. They additionally did not get previous the quarter-finals in three straight Afcon appearances, underperforming squads stuffed with the likes of Wilfried Bony, Jean Michael Seri, Salomon Kalou, Wilfried Zaha and Eric Bailly.

It all makes the size of this yr’s turnaround all of the extra notable, whereas victory within the closing itself would deliver them stage with three Afcon triumphs with their opponents, Nigeria. But generally in soccer, in any sport in actual fact, fairytale tales don’t have that unimaginable, inconceivable, unbelievable-yet-believable Hollywood-style ending.

Jan 14 (Abidjan) drew 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea (Victor Osimhen)

Jan 18 (Abidjan) beat Ivory Coast 1-0 (William Troost-Ekong pen)

Jan 22 (Abidjan) beat Guinea Bissau 1-0 (Opa Sangante personal aim)

Jan 27 (Abidjan) beat Cameroon 2-0 (Ademola Lookman 2)

Feb 2 (Abidjan) beat Angola 1-0 (Lookman)

Feb 7 (Bouake) beat South Africa 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw (Troost-Ekong pen)

Jan 13 (Abidjan) beat Guinea Bissau 2-0 (Seko Fofana, Jean-Philippe Krasso)

Jan 18 (Abidjan) misplaced to Nigeria 0-1

Jan 22 (Abidjan) misplaced to Equatorial Guinea 0-4

Jan 29 (Yamoussoukro) beat Senegal 5-4 on penalties after 1-1 draw (Franck Kessie pen)

Feb 3 (Bouake) beat Mali 2-1 after further time (Simon Adingra, Oumar Diakite)

Feb 7 (Abidjan) beat DR Congo 1-0 (Sebastien Haller)

Nigeria: Nwabali, Troost-Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey, Aina, Osayi-Samuel, Onyeka, Iwobi, Simon, Lookman, Osimhen.

Ivory Coast: Fofana, Konan, Ndicka, Boly, Singo, Kessie, Seri, Seko Fofana, Adingra, Haller, Gradel.

Hitting the again of the web within the quarter-finals and the semi-finals of a significant worldwide event ought to, normally, see strikers head into the ultimate itself brimming with confidence and expectant of main their nation to glory. When that centre-forward has additionally been one of many sport’s elite goalscorers over the previous few seasons, much more so. Yet for Nigeria and Victor Osimhen, there’s maybe as an alternative a lingering sense of frustration, annoyance and unfulfilment, a sense that he has been thwarted by fractions and unable to be at his explosive finest.

Big-match preview, by Karl Matchett