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The hosts, Ivory Coast, will go head-to-head with Nigeria in one of the Group A fixtures of the ongoing African Cup of Nations 2023 competition. The fixture above will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on Thursday, October 18th.
Ivory Coast has secured three points in Group A, and they are also the group leaders. On a distinct note, Nigeria has only obtained one point out of a feasible three in the group, and it can be highlighted that they are much more in need of a victory going into this clash.
Based on recent form, Ivory Coast has won four out of their last five games in all competitions, whereas the Super Eagles have only secured one win in their last five matches.
This listicle highlights three key individual battles that could alter the outcome of this keenly anticipated fixture.
#3 Seko Fofana vs Frank Onyeka
There are only a few players who have demonstrated to be more dangerous than Seko Fofana in the ongoing African Cup of Nations, as he has been brisk and decisive in front of goal.
In the Ivorian's opening game against Guinea-Bissau, Fofana was very athletic in both the midfield and the attack, and he netted the opening goal of the tournament in that encounter.
Hence, by means of a review, Fofana is one of the players that the defensive mechanism of Nigeria should keep an eye on if they plan to emerge triumphant in this clash. Also, it could be tough to monitor him in attack as he could also score from range. Thus, Onyeka will have his work cut out.
Nevertheless, in the absence of Wilfred Ndidi, Onyeka has served as a defensive midfielder. So, it remains to be seen if he can pocket Fofana.
#2 Victor Osimhen vs Evan Ndicka
As one of the deadliest strikers on the continent, Victor Osimhen is a forward that Ivory Coast's defence would have to monitor if they intend to secure a win.
By means of designation, Osimhen is a brilliant striker who could wreck any defence in quick succession, as he has proven on countless occasions.
In Nigeria's first game, the forward saved the day by netting an equalizer minutes after Equatorial Guinea opened the scoring.
Well, when we talk about a perfect defensive contender, Evan Ndicka plainly fits the bill as he's quite familiar with Osimhen as they both feature in the Italian Serie A. It remains to be seen if he could silence Osimhen in this clash.
#1 Jean-Philippe Krasso vs William Troost-Ekong
One player who's quite deadly in the penalty box is Jean-Philippe Krasso, as his positioning in the final third is likewise outstanding.
Krasso has netted one goal in the tournament so far, as he's also one player that Nigeria's defence might want to keep under close watch if they plan to win this key encounter. Monitoring his movement in attack is rigorous, as he’s very sharp in front of goal.
However, in terms of experience, Troost-Ekong is right up there as his defensive sensibility is exceptional as well. Thus, if he could keep Krasso under tabs, the above could reduce Ivory Coast's chances of scoring, and this would affect their likelihood of winning the game.
