AFCON 2023: William Troost Ekong expects tough Nigeria duel against Cote d’Ivoire

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria defender, William Troost Ekong is looking forward to a tight and tough encounter between Super Eagles and Cote D’Ivoire on Wednesday.

The two West African sides will settle scores at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan, on Thursday.

With the Elephants securing a 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau in the opening match and the Eagles playing out a 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea, it promised to be a keenly contested clash according to Ekong.

“The second game will be very tough than the first one,” Ekong admitted during the pre-match press conference in Abidjan on Wednesday.

“From what I see in the players, they are ready with more nerve. If we had won the last game by four to five goals, it would have been different.

“The Ivorians are more clinical. We have a lot of work on our hands and need to be clinical up front.” He concluded.

In terms of head-to-head record, Niger has won three of the last five encounters between them and the Ivorians.

Cote D’Ivoire have won two of those encounters including a 1-0 victory in an friendly match on January 11, 2015.

The last game between the two West African sides in 2016 which was another friendly ended 1-0 in favour of Nigeria with Ifeanyi Matthew scoring the winning goal on January 11, 2016.