We are Nigeria’ – Mikel Obi backs Super Eagles to outshine Cote d’Ivoire in tough AFCON group.
As all pegs are in the hole for the forthcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have been placed in Group A with the hosts, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.
The tournament will be hosted in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, from January 13 to February 11, 2024. The draw ceremony was conducted there.
Nigeria topped its qualifying group with 15 points, scoring 22 goals in the process.
This achievement included a stunning 16-0 aggregate victory over Sao Tome & Principe.
Nigeria, which has won the AFCON three times in a row (in 1980, 1994, and 2013), will try to win it again and have branded Let’s Do It again.
Mikel Obi on AFCON draw
Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi was one of the draw assistants for the AFCON.
Mikel voiced his belief that the Super Eagles had a solid chance of winning the championship.
He said, “We are in a tough group, but when we come to this tournament, we’re always favorites.
“There’s a lot of tough teams here, but we are Nigeria aren’t we.”
Between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, there have been 27 official meetings, 8 of which took place during the Africa Cup of Nations.
Both sides have recorded three victories in their head-to-head matchups at the AFCON, while they have also agreed to two draws.
At the 34th Cup of Nations, holders Senegal, Morocco, the team that finished fourth in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Egypt, a side that has won the competition seven times, and Algeria, the 2019 Cup of Nations champions, will all compete for the continent’s most coveted football trophy.
The Super Eagles will begin preparation with a friendly game against Saudi Arabia on Friday, October 13 in Portugal.
