Africa: Ekong Penalty Edges Nigeria Past Cote d’Ivoire At Africa Cup of Nations

Nigeria regathered their pride on Thursday night with a 1-0 victory over hosts Cote d’Ivoire to take them joint top of Group A with four points after two games at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Equatorial Guinea occupy pole position after Emilio Nsue scored the first hat trick at the tournament since 2008 to help his side sweep past Guinea Bissau 4-2 in the early afternoon game at the Alassane Outtara stadium in Abidjan

Hyped as a crunch clash between west African powerhouses, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire began at a furious pace.

Victor Osimhen was set free on the left for the first chance of the match but the Napoli striker botched his lob over goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

Stung by the impertinence, the hosts went down the other end. Stanley Nwabali stopped the counter with a sharp save from Christian Kouamé’s strike.

Kouamé squandered another opportunity three minutes later. But the early flurry gave way to a fug of caution and sloppiness as both teams failed to find fluid connections between midfield and attack.

For all the attacking talent on display, a defender broke the deadlock.

Eight minutes into the second-half, referee Mustapha Ghorbal pointed to the penalty spot after the video assistants highlighted a foul on Osimhen.

Skipper William Ekong stepped up and walloped the ball down the middle of Fofana’s goal.

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