Ivory Coast vs Nigeria: How the 2 nations have performed in past AFCON finals

• Ivory Coast play Nigeria in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
• The Super Eagles have already beaten the hosts once this season
• Past data shows just how the two nations have performed in past finals

The stage is set for the ultimate showdown in the Africa Cup of Nations as Ivory Coast prepares to take on Nigeria in the final on Sunday, February 11.

In what promises to be a mammoth encounter, a nation that has won the competition twice in the past comes up against one that has three AFCON titles.

Nigeria will surely go into the final as favourites, having proven themselves in the run-up to the final.

Also, The Super Eagles have already beaten the Elephants 1-0 in the group stage and will be looking to win again against the same opponents in the AFCON for the first time since they did so against Senegal in 2006 (when they beat the Lions of Teranga in the Group stage and the third place play-off), per Opta.

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Which nation has been in more AFCON finals?

When it comes to cup finals, several factors can come into play when it comes to determining the winner.

In the past, brilliant footballing nations have stumbled when it matters in the final, as sometimes factors like experience in the grand stage end up being the difference between a win and the pain of defeat.

Between Ivory Coast and Nigeria, the two nations have their fair share of experience in playing at the AFCON finals.

It goes without saying that the Super Eagles are superior in this department, having featured in seven finals in the past, winning it three times.

In comparison, Ivory Coast have played in four finals since 1957, winning in two of those matches. Their latest AFCON triumph came in 2015 when they beat Ghana 9-8 in a penalty shootout in Estadio de Bata in Equatorial Guinea.

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Ivory Coast vs Nigeria, who performs better in finals

While the Super Eagles certainly have a decent record in going all the way to the final, the fact that they have lost more finals than they have won paints a worrying picture ahead of the showdown at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.

Ivory Coast have won 50% of the AFCON finals they have played in, while Nigeria have won just 42.3 of the finals they have played in.

Here is a breakdown of all of Nigeria’s AFCON final results before the 2023 edition of the competition:

1980: Won their first title by beating Algeria 3-1

1984 - Lost 3-1 to Cameroon

1988 - Lost 1-0 to Cameroon

1990: Lost 1-0 to Algeria

1994: Won 2-1 vs Zambia

2000: Lost 4-3 to Cameroon in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw AET

2013: Won 1-0 against Burkina Faso

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Ivory Coast's performances in the AFCON final in the past looks like this:

1992: Beat Ghana 11-10 on penalties to win their first title

2006: Lost 4-2 to Egypt on penalties

2012: Beaten by Zambia 8-7 via penalties

2015: Beat Ghana 9-8 on penalties

How Ivory Coast avoided elimination

Ivory Coast’s journey to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has been extraordinary.

As Sports Brief reported, they started the competition with a comfortable 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau before suffering back-to-back defeats against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.