Hosts Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria take the centre stage Sunday in the final of the African Cup of Nations with fans from both countries expecting a tough game of unpredictable outcome.
Former Cote d’Ivoire and Arsenal defender, Kolo Toure said his major worry for his country was the fast and furious counter attack of the Super Eagles.
The Elephants suffered a 1-0 loss to the Super Eagles in group A. With that in mind Ivorians can wish that mother luck will continue to ride with them as it has done throughout the tournament.They were left for dead after losing two games in the preliminary round.
“Nigeria changed their shape, playing a 5-4-1 defensively and a 3-4-3 offensively, which really disturbed us,” Toure an AFCON winner in 2015 told BBC sports
“We never found the solution to stop them hitting us on the counter attack.
“With Victor Osimhen up front, and Moses Simon and Ademola Lookman (out wide), they are really dangerous in transition.
“We need speed at the back because as soon as Nigeria get the ball, they will look for Osimhen who is super quick – he may have scored only once so far, but what he brings to that team is incredible.”
The Elephants would be banking on their fans to unsettle the Super Eagles, but Brown Ideye who played in the 2-1 win against Cote d’ Ivoire in the quarter final of the 2013 tournament said Nigeria must keep their nerves.
“The final will be different but the players must be calm,” Ideye said
“There will be orange everywhere at the stadium. The Super Eagles must not be scared. It will be difficult but these players have shown they understand what is at stake.”
