CAN 2024: Nigeria-Côte d'Ivoire, the force of habit against the strength of a people in an unprecedented final
Ivory Coast, driven by its entire population, dreams of winning its third African Cup against Nigeria in the CAN 2024 final, this Sunday, February 11, 2024 (8 p.m. UT). But the Super Eagles, who will play their eighth final of this competition, have the perfect profile to spoil the party.
The Nigerian Victor Osimhen and the Ivorian Ousmane Diomandé find themselves in the final of CAN 2024 after a match in the first won by the Super Eagles. AFP - FRANCK FIFE
By: Ndiasse Sambe Follow
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From our special correspondent in Abidjan,
The economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, woke up euphoric this Saturday, the eve of the CAN 2024 final. The heat does not weigh down the atmosphere that reigns in the city, which still vibrates to the rhythm of
" Hammer blow”
, the revelation hit of the CAN, which dethroned
the official anthem
signed Magic System. The joy and excitement are palpable and will continue to build until the start of the CAN final between Ivory Coast and Nigeria.
There are obviously no more tickets to buy for the poster, unless you find the ticket on the black market by spending hundreds of thousands of CFA francs. The supporters are ready, the Alassane-Ouattara Olympic stadium will be adorned in orange and the 60,000 spectators will take over from the 27 million Ivorians to carry the Elephants to the coronation.
Nigeria has strong backs
This is all that Nigeria will have to face. A popular force first, before the 11 Ivorian soldiers on the pitch. But the Super Eagles have demonstrated since the start of the competition that they have the strength and the cool heads to resist this fury. They have already
punished Ivory Coast (0-1)
in this CAN during the second day of group A on January 18. And they know better than anyone that the organizing country can lose the final on its soil. In 2000, Nigeria of Okocha, Kanu, Ikpeba, had in fact lost in “its” continental competition, against Cameroon of Mboma, Eto'o, and Song at the National stadium in Lagos (2-2, tab: 4-3).
Read alsoCAN 2024: stories of finals before Ivory Coast-Nigeria
From January 18 to February 11, the trajectories of Nigeria and Ivory Coast were different, but they led them to Ébimpé. That of the Ivorians has taken the form of a roller coaster, with
a journey strewn with qualifiers
which sometimes border on the irrational: miracle, resurrection, incredible. As they move towards the fifth final in their history, Ivory Coast seems to have finally found their team. She showed it in the
semi-final against DR Congo
, with a mastery of the match and the event never before seen since the start of the competition.
Fae: “
It’s going to come down to small details”
Nigeria, for its part, had a
first alert against Equatorial Guinea
when it entered the deep end (1-1), since then, the Super Eagles have found a playing identity, a backbone, a collective and a leader inhabited in the person of
Victor Osimhen
.
For Emerse Faé, the two teams “
are equal on the psychological aspect”
when approaching this final
. “Even if we had different paths. It was very difficult at the start and we gained strength from the round of 16 onwards… It will come down to small details that we cannot determine today
. ”
Having come close to being sacked last November, two months before the start of the CAN, Nigeria coach José Peseiro showed on Saturday the image of a confident man on whom the pressure is slipping a few hours before a big final . "
I am happy. My players are happy. They did a fantastic job getting to the final. We have an excellent group of players who really want to win for Nigeria
,” said the Portuguese technician.
Ivory Coast has been warned, it will certainly take more than the strength of the people to bring Nigeria to its knees.
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