AFCON 2023 Fallout: How Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Africa Performed in Friendlies After Success

• Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Africa assembled for the first time post-2023 AFCON
• The aforementioned countries were the top-performing sides at the football tourney
• Sports Brief looks at how the national teams performed in their maiden assignments

Every international break in football typically prompts a collective sigh from fans worldwide.

Despite the myriad of reasons contributing to this sentiment, the anticipation and pride associated with seeing footballers represent their respective nations often outweigh any reservations.

This sentiment was vividly evident during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), widely hailed as one of the tournament's most captivating editions to date.

Throughout the month-long spectacle showcasing the talents of 24 teams, the host nation, Ivory Coast, etched their name in history by clinching their third AFCON title, shattering the trend of host countries' struggles to claim victory on home soil since Egypt in 2006.

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Amid the jubilation in Ivory Coast, the heartbreak was palpable for the runners-up, Nigeria, who endured a gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat in the final despite initially taking the lead.

With the dust now settled from the AFCON, attention turned to the recent March friendlies.

Sports Brief examines the performance of the top-performing teams from the 2023 football festival in the recent March friendlies as national teams across the continent reconvened for the first time since the conclusion of the tournament over a month ago.

How AFCON 2023's top three performed

Ivory Coast

Who better to begin with than the champions, Ivory Coast?

After orchestrating a remarkable comeback during the tournament, barely scraping through to the knockout phase, Emerse Fae's side carried that momentum forward.

Fueled by the passionate home crowd, the Elephants clinched the ultimate victory - winning their third AFCON on home soil, per VOA Africa.

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Fast forward to their first post-tournament gathering, where they faced Benin. The Elephants found themselves trailing early, conceding a goal after just eight minutes.

However, Max Gradel, who announced his retirement from international football after the match, levelled the score before half-time.

Despite falling behind again after the break, Oumar Diakite, the hero of their dramatic quarter-final win against Mali, restored parity.

However, despite their efforts, they couldn't secure a winning goal, settling for a 2-2 draw in their inaugural match as African champions.

Their next challenge comes in the form of a friendly against two-time world champions, Uruguay, on Tuesday, March 26.

Nigeria

While the reigning kings of African football, Ivory Coast, faced difficulties in their first post-AFCON match, runners-up Nigeria demonstrated resilience in their friendly encounter with West African rivals, Ghana.

In what is affectionately known as the 'Jollof Derby', considered one of the continent's fiercest football rivalries, the Super Eagles capitalised on their AFCON form to secure victory over the Black Stars in Marrakech, Morocco.

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The Eagles opened the scoring with a penalty converted by Cyril Dessers, and Ademola Lookman extended their lead after coming off the bench.

Jordan Ayew, who had scored Ghana's last two goals at the tournament before a disappointing draw with Mozambique led to their elimination, managed to pull one back via the spot, as noted by Myjoyonline.

This victory marks Nigeria's first win over their 'noisy' neighbours since 2006.

Up next for the Super Eagles is a friendly against Mali on March 26 as they navigate international fixtures without Portuguese coach, Jose Peseiro, who resigned after the AFCON.

South Africa

South Africa, 2023 AFCON's surprise package, made waves by reaching the semi-finals before falling to Nigeria in a penalty shootout.

Despite this setback, Bafana Bafana secured a bronze medal by defeating DR Congo in the third-place playoff, marking their first medal since 1998. Much credit is due to Belgian coach, Hugo Broos, for moulding a well-drilled side.

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In their first match post-AFCON, South Africa rallied from a goal down to draw with Andorra in a 'FIFA Series' international friendly, SuperSport reports.

It's worth noting that many key players from the AFCON, including Golden Glove winner Ronwen Williams, winger Percy Tau, and Mamelodi Sundowns star Teboho Mokoena, were absent from the friendly.

Their upcoming challenge against two-time African champions, Algeria, on March 26 promises to be a stern test for Bafana, even without some of their star players.

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Sports Brief also reported that Ivory Coast coach, Emerse Fae, opened up on the difficulties of facing opponents as African champions after his team's draw against Benin in a friendly match.

Despite goals from the retiring Max-Alain Gradel and Oumar Diakite, which countered Junior Olaitan's double, the newly-crowned African champions struggled to a 2-2 draw in Lens, France.