William Troost-Ekong sets the bar with victorious penalty for Nigeria.

This article discusses the Africa Cup of Nations match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, which resulted in a 1-0 victory for Nigeria. The win came courtesy of a penalty by Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong, who struck early in the second half. The match was closely contested, with Ivory Coast spurning several chances. Here is a detailed analysis of the game.

Nigeria’s Early Chances

Napoli forward Victor Osimhen went close to giving Nigeria an early lead when he outpaced the Ivory Coast defense, but was unable to keep his shot down. This proved to be a rare opening for Nigeria in the first half as Ivory Coast dominated the proceedings.

Ivory Coast’s Dominance

Christian Kouame was a threat up front for Ivory Coast, and they created several opportunities to score. However, Kouame shot on the turn, and Evan Ndicka missed with a back-post header.

William Troost-Ekong’s Penalty Strike

Nigeria got the breakthrough early in the second half after Ola Aina was adjudged to have fouled Victor Osimhen in the area after a VAR review. Troost-Ekong made no mistake from the spot, securing all three points for Nigeria.

Ivory Coast’s Response

Ivory Coast did not give up after conceding the penalty and continued to push forward. However, they were unable to convert their chances, with Fofana and Ndicka missing the target.

Nigeria’s Late Missed Chance

Bright Osayi-Samuel had the opportunity to wrap up victory for Nigeria but delayed his shot. Despite late pressure from Ivory Coast, they were unable to find an equalizer.