2023 AFCON: Troost-Ekong Urges Nigerians to Keep Supporting Super Eagles 

-Anthony Nlebem

Super Eagles defender William Troost-Ekong has appealed to Nigerians to keep supporting the team as they seek all three points against Ivory Coast on Thursday evening.

The Super Eagles will take on Ivory Coast at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Thursday in their second Group A match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON ) after playing 1-1 against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.

“We went out to pick the three points against Equatorial Guinea, but it didn’t happen. We live to fight another day, ” Troost-Ekong said. “We are appealing to Nigerians worldwide to keep supporting and believing in the team. Our objective is to first reach the knockout rounds and then we push strongly from there.”

Nigeria created several goal-scoring opportunities but failed to convert their chances. Jose Peseiro has been boosted with the arrival of Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi, giving him options in the frontline.

The camp believes strongly that the team that scored 22 goals in qualifying (more than any other team in the series) could start firing on Thursday. “We expect a tough game because the Ivorians are the hosts and top of our group. But we also have our aspirations, and we believe in ourselves,” defender Kenneth Omeruo said on Monday.

Ivory Coast, two-time champions, will look to book an early round of sixteen by defeating Nigeria at the newly-built Alassane Ouattara stadium in Ebimpe. Three-time champions Nigeria is determined to upset the host nation to enhance its prospects of reaching the knockout rounds.