Omeruo Anticipates Tough AFCON Final Showdown against Ivory Coast

Super Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo, expects a tough battle in tomorrow’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final against the Ivory Coast.

The match, set to take place at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, will see Nigeria facing off against the hosts after securing a semi-final victory against South Africa.

Meanwhile, at the group stage, Jose Peseiro’s men were seeded with Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, where they defeated Ivory Coast with a score of one goal to nil, thanks to William Troost-Ekong’s goal from the penalty spot.

Omeruo acknowledges the significance of the game for both countries, with Nigeria having earlier secured a 1-0 victory against the Ivory Coast in the group stage. Despite this prior success, Omeruo anticipates a strong response from the Ivorian team, aiming for redemption.

“We all know how important this game is for our country, for them too (Cote d’Ivoire) it is very important. We beat them in the group stage and they will definitely want a revenge this time around.” he said, as witnessed by Soccernet.ng during the training session on Thursday.

Given the expected hostile environment and passionate home crowd, Omeruo emphasises the importance of the team’s experience in dealing with such situations. He expresses confidence in the team’s ability to overcome the challenges and emerge victorious in the final showdown.

He added: “The crowd will be hostile and will be solidly behind them, but we have the experience to deal with that. It’s going to be tough out there, but we will do our best to come out victorious,”

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will be hoping to lift their fourth AFCON trophy on Sunday, while the host will be eyeing their third trophy.