The AFCON 2023 just ended a few days ago, and most people expected Nigeria to bag the trophy. After all, the Nigerian team was the first to touch the net, with an exceptional goal scored by William Troost-Eking in the 38th minute. Surprisingly, Ivory Coast equalized and netted another goal, snatching a coveted trophy from the Super Eagles.
But why did Nigeria lose to Ivory Coast? Punters, football fans, and professionals have put out several theories. We have reviewed them and compiled a list of reasonable culprits. You can assess them in the sections below. But before diving in, if you are an avid bettor, check out these Zambia Super League predictions.
Let’s dive in.
Poor Performances
If you’ve ever watched the Super Eagles play, you know that their last display in AFCON 2023 wasn’t top-notch. That is why fans were lamenting online and offline during and after the game. According to many spectators, players who often show incredible talent, like Aina, Iwobi, Lookman, and Zaidu, failed miserably.
Not to mention, many people criticized the Nigeria team’s lack of creativity in midfield. Based on the AFCON final game, the Super Eagles must work on such critical areas before the next tournament.
Frayed Nerves
According to Jose Peseiro, the Super Eagles coach, Nigeran players were too nervous during the AFCON final. And that’s understandable. After all, winning the AFCON trophy is a prestigious accomplishment. Any team that wins this tournament earns international recognition, and the rewards are also enormous.
Unfortunately, nervousness didn’t do Nigeria any good, which is something common. Football players often lose concentration, act slowly, and make detrimental mistakes when nervous. All these problems usually contribute to poor performance, as the Super Eagles proved a few days ago.
Overconfidence
The Super Eagles team members are often confident. Why wouldn’t they be when their team is one of the best in Africa and has bagged the AFCON trophy three times? Not to forget, the Super Eagles are the most decorated team in AFCON history.
That said, many have pointed out that the Nigerian was a tad too confident during AFCON 2023. Early in the tournament, the team’s attacker, Ademola Lookman, declared they would thrash Angola and proceed past the quarter-finals. Too much confidence might have contributed to Nigeria overestimating Ivory Coast and losing the coveted AFCON trophy.
Fate
Past matches and records show that the Super Eagles have never outperformed a host country while competing in the AFCON final. Most fans know that and could see the same happening the moment Ivory Coast made it into the knockout stages despite incurring several disturbing defeats.
If you believe in fate, Ivory Coast was destined to win AFCON 2023. Destiny called, and Ivory Coast answered without hesitation. Moreover, the team had a home advantage and made it count, thrilling over 2 billion people who were tuned in.
Fatigue
Before facing Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles went head-to-head with Bafana Bafana, South Africa’s notorious team. The match was not as easy, and the Nigerian team had to put in extra effort. 90 minutes after the first whistle, the score between Nigeria and South Africa was 1-1, so the teams went for additional time and penalty shootouts, where Nigeria emerged victorious.
Sadly, the South African team left Super Eagles players exhausted. The signs were there, with exceptional footballers like Iwobi and Moses Simon showing clear fatigue.
The Bottom Line
Ivory Coast thrashed Nigeria 2-1 in the AFCON 2023 finals. Several factors likely contributed to Nigeria’s humiliating defeat. The Super Eagles players were exhausted and nervous after their match with South Africa. Not to mention, Ivory had the home advantage and employed exceptional mid-fielders and wingers.
But all in all, the Super Eagles reached the AFCON finals and walked away with an enormous price. Their performance has also earned the Nigerian team numerous boons, including land gifts offered by the government and much more!
