AFCON 2023: Host, Elephants of Cote D'Ivoire on the brink if...

Posted : 22 January 2024

Hosts of the 34th African Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Elephants of Cote D'Ivoire, are on the brink of setting another unwanted record if they fail to surpass Equatorial Guinea in the last group match of Group A pairing.

The hosts have created unnecessary pressure for themselves by losing to Nigeria in the second group match, setting a record of defeat to a country that has yet to earn a win against them on their home soil. It is on record that Nigeria has yet to beat the Elephants in all their meetings on their home soil.

Also, the host's 1-0 defeat to Nigeria on Match Day 2 was the first time a host nation had lost a group stage match at the Africa Cup of Nations since 2012 when Equatorial Guinea lost 1-0 to Zambia. The only host nation to lose two group games in a tournament was Ivory Coast themselves back in 1984.

The defeat to Nigeria, however, has put the Elephants as hosts under intense pressure heading into their final group game against Equatorial Guinea, who already have four points.

Just like in the local parlance in Nigeria, the match between Cote D'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea is a "Do or Die" affair because their defeat against Nigeria has left them behind both the Super Eagles and Monday’s opponents in Group A.

For many observers, it would be a major shock to see the AFCON giants drop out of the competition. However, a win may guarantee them safe passage into the knockout stages if the match between Nigeria and Guinea Bissau turns awry.

For Equatorial Guinea, they have not lost any of their two games and head into this one full of confidence. Going into the all-important match, this meeting will be the third time both countries are meeting at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

Equatorial Guinea will have faced Ivory Coast more times than any other opponent at the tournament. The Ivorians have so far won both of their previous encounters: 3-0 in 2012 (quarter-finals) and 1-0 in 2022 (group stage).

Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast are in the same group for the second consecutive AFCON tournament. In 2022, they finished second and first respectively.

The Elephants lost their last match against Nigeria and have not lost consecutive AFCON games since February 2008 (vs Egypt and Ghana in the semi-finals and third-place play-off respectively). They haven’t lost two games in an AFCON group stage since 2002.

Equatorial Guinea has only lost two of their 11 Africa Cup of Nations group stage matches and has won six games and drawn three.

For Equatorial Guinea, Emilio Nsue scored a hat-trick against Guinea-Bissau, becoming the oldest player to net a treble in the competition (34 years, 110 days) and the first to do so overall for 15 years and 362 days, since Soufiane Alloudi in 2008 for Morocco vs Namibia.

Equatorial Guinea has also scored 16 goals at the Africa Cup of Nations, with half of the goals coming from either Emilio Nsue (4) or Javier Balboa (4). Nsue scored with all three of his shots against Guinea-Bissau, having four more touches in the opposition box than any of his teammates (6) in the match.

The hosts of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations are hoping to cement their place in the knockout stage, but they have work to do when they face Equatorial Guinea at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.

Their 1-0 defeat to Nigeria on Matchday 2 was a blow, but thanks to their opening win over Guinea-Bissau, they are still well placed to go through, considering four of the six third-place teams in the tournament will advance.

Jean-Louis Gasset’s men were disappointing against Nigeria, though, having more shots (14-11) but recording a much lower expected goals total (0.57-1.72). William Troost-Ekong’s winning penalty did aid that number for the Super Eagles.

Facing a country that looks ready to sail through by all means, the Elephants are in for an uphill task in their quest to qualify. Even if they earn a draw against Equatorial Guinea, they will be on four points while Equatorial Guinea will be on five points. It's a game to watch between Cote D'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea on Monday.

AFCON 2023: Host, Elephants of Cote D'Ivoire on the brink if...

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics