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The Super Eagles claimed a statement win after beating the hosts in their second match at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles claimed a stunning win over hosts Cote d’Ivoire in their second Group A match at AFCON 2023.
The Super Eagles had started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, while the Elephants defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0.
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Nigeria went into the clash as the slight underdogs but a William Troost-Ekong penalty early in the second half gave Jose Peseiro’s men the maximum points despite the hosts’ late pressure.
The win lifted Nigeria to second, level on points with leaders Equatorial Guinea and a point ahead of Ivory Coast.
With that said, we examine some of the talking points from the match.
Osimhen’s effort is undeniable
The Super Eagles star might have scored the equaliser against Equatorial Guinea, but he was guilty of missing numerous chances.
However, while it was the same story against Ivory Coast, you cannot deny his effort. Osimhen had the first chance of the match after he was put through on goal by Samuel Chukwueze. But the Napoli man could only sky his effort over the bar with just the goalkeeper to beat. In a game of this magnitude, Osimhen should have done better with the chance.
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However, he did not allow the miss to weigh him down. His work rate was undeniable in the first half, and he was duly rewarded minutes into the second half after winning the penalty.
He never gives up on any pass, and that was how he won the penalty for Nigeria. He was guilty of missing the early chance but was also responsible for the win.
Ekong leads by example
Coming into this tournament, there were doubts about whether William Troost-Ekong would make the squad.
Yes, he was the captain, but he was not in the squad for the two World Cup qualifiers before the tournament.
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However, Jose Peseiro called him up, and the former Watford man has not put a foot wrong so far.
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He commanded the backline brilliantly against the Elephants and made vital interceptions. Not only that, but Ekong was also vocal at the back.
The PAOK defender capped off a fine performance with a well-taken penalty.
Chukwueze’s decision-making is still questionable
When Chukwueze broke out in the 2018/2019 season, his talent was clear to see but his decision-making was a work in progress.
However, five years later, Chukwueze has not improved in that department. Despite showing flashes of brilliance in the match, the AC Milan winger’s final ball was lacking.
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He still does not know how to pick the right pass, even though he set up Osimhen in the first half. Chukwueze got into some promising positions, especially when Ivory Coast were chasing the game, but his decision-making was not the best.
Lookman stands out again
Lookman continued from where he left off against Equatorial Guinea, where he was Nigeria’s best player.
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While he had just one shot against the Ivorians, he was everywhere and dangerous every time he had the ball on his feet. His work rate was also admirable to see, finally shutting up his critics.
Peseiro’s Bassey decision pays off
With Alhassan Yusuf out, there were questions about who would come in to replace him.
Surprisingly, Peseiro brought in Bassey- a defender. However, it proved to be a masterstroke as Bassey turned out well in a back-three defence.
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The Fulham star was everywhere, winning nine out of his 13 duels. Bassey also made three clearances and one interception to cap off a fine performance.
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