AFCON 2023: Finidi George Explains Reason Why Nigeria Lost Final Against Ivory Coast

• The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations concluded with a riveting showdown between Nigeria and Ivory Coast
• A second-half resurgence courtesy of Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller secured a win for the Ivorians
• Assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Finidi George explained why Nigeria lost the Cup of Nations final

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) reached its pinnacle with an electrifying final clash between tournament hosts Ivory Coast and Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

The highly anticipated match, marking the second meeting of both teams in the tournament, exceeded the expectations of many.

Nigeria’s vice-captain, William Troost-Ekong, opened the scoring in the 38th minute, setting the stage for a gripping showdown. However, a second-half resurgence led by midfielder, Franck Kessie, and forward, Sebastien Haller, secured a comeback victory for Emerse Fae’s side.

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In the aftermath of the grand finale, assistant coach of the Nigerian national team, Finidi George, has provided insights into the reasons behind the Super Eagles' defeat.

Finidi on why Nigeria lost AFCON final

In an interview with media outlet Brila.net, the 52-year-old tactician emphasised the reasons behind Nigeria's loss to the Ivorians in the final.

"It's not that we got it wrong; I felt we took three steps backwards after gaining the lead."

"The team retreated too deep, and as you know, playing against the host country, they were compelled to push forward, fueled by their home supporters. They gave it their all and managed to equalise."

"From that point on, if you were at the stadium, you could sense the momentum shifting in their favour. The fans, everyone, was behind them, and they pushed until they scored the second goal towards the end of the game."

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The coach concluded by highlighting the positives his team took from the experience.

"It was a challenging battle for the team, and it's unfortunate, but we must learn from it and strive to improve."

The words of the former Nigerian winger echo that of defender Troost-Ekong. The POAK Thessaloniki star had hinted the team’s defensive setup was their greatest undoing on the night.

Despite the disappointment, Nigeria aims to capitalise on their AFCON success as they seek qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Williams speaks on penalty shootout

Sports Brief in another report stated that South Africa's goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, has disclosed his penalty tactics during the semi-final clash against Nigeria.

The Bafana Bafana star had thwarted four penalties in his side's quarter-final victory against Cape Verde.

However, the 32-year-old failed to save any when he faced the Super Eagles.