Nigeria vs Ivory Coast AFCON 2023 Final Prediction: Who Has the Edge to Win the Trophy?
Nigeria and Ivory Coast will face off in the 2023 AFCON final on Sunday. Who has the advantage and who will likely emerge victorious to lift the trophy?
Who Will Win the 2023 AFCON Final Between Nigeria and Ivory Coast?
The stage is set for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final this Sunday as Nigeria and Ivory Coast will battle it out for the coveted trophy. Both teams have had impressive runs to make it this far in the competition. Nigeria came second in their group before defeating Cameroon in the knockout, Angola in the quarterfinals and South Africa in the semifinals. Ivory Coast finished second in their group but knocked out Morocco and Egypt along the way to the final.
On paper, Nigeria may have a slight edge given their tournament performances. They concede the fewest goal throughout the AFCON. Captain and Defender, Ekong has led the line well while players like Moses Simon and Lookman whom have scored 3 goals so far have provided quality in the wide areas. Nigeria also have a strong defense anchored by William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu, Ola Aina, and Ajayi.
However, Ivory Coast should not be underestimated. They are led by the attacking duo of Sebastien Haller and Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorians also have a good mix of young talent and experience throughout the squad. Players like Sangare, Franck Kessie and Eric Bailly command the midfield areas and defense respectively. Additionally, Ivory Coast will be motivated to win the trophy on home soil in Abidjan.
It’s hard to separate these two well-matched teams. Nigeria have been the more consistent performers but Ivory Coast will have the home crowd behind them. Ultimately, the game may be decided by a moment of individual brilliance. If pushed to make a prediction, I believe Ivory Coast’s home advantage may just give them the edge in a tight contest that goes down to the wire. Ivory Coast to win AFCON 2023 in a penalty shootout.
Conclusion: Sunday’s AFCON final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast promises to be a thrilling contest. Both teams have played well to reach this stage and it could go either way. Home advantage may just give Ivory Coast the slight edge, but it will likely take a moment of individual quality to decide the champions of Africa.
