AFCON
Another Paradise Lost By Nigeria As Cote D’Ivoire Are African Champions –
As it happened 40 years ago in Abidjan, the Nigerian team again fluffed a first half lead and ended up losing an Africa Cup of Nations final match. They lost 2-1 to a resurrected Cote d’Ivoire side who became the first team to lose two matches in the group stage and then win the trophy. It is the fifth time that the Super Eagles are losing a cup final after those of 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000.
Although it is the third time that Cote d’Ivoire will win the cup, it is first time they did it in open play. Their earlier to victories in 1992 and 2015 were from penalty shoot-out.
In reality, the Ivorians, backed by a capacity crowd, were the better side and created more scoring chances.
Skipper William Troost-Ekong who took his goal tally to three, shot Nigeria ahead in the 38th minute from the Super Eagles’ first corner kick in the match.
In the second half, the Ivorians came out strongly, piling pressure on the Nigerian side., Franck Kessie equalized for Côte d’Ivoire just two minutes after the hour-mark. Striker Sebastien Haller then scored the winner with ten minutes remaining, completing the Ivorian victory.
Côte d’Ivoire faced the possibility of an early exit from the competition during the group stage, but they secured their place in the second round in the final moments, fulfilling their mission and clinching the title on home soil.
According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.
The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.
In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.
In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s Club Africaine.
If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.
With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.
However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.
Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players, Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger, Faraj Ghaidhan. They take the places of the absent regular players.
Franck Mawuena who recently renewed his contract with Remo Stars has received a call-up to the Togolese squad for this week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. He had previously featured in the Belgian League.
He was part of the Remo Stars squad that finished second in the Nigeria Premier league last season. He scored six goals.
Togo will be away to Algeria on Thursday before hosting the reversed fixture on 14 October.
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