Ahead of their clash against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, schools in Ivory Coast have been shut down with fans mobilised to the stadium to throw their weights behind the Elephants.

The Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan will be the cynosure of all eyes today when Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria go for each other’s jugular in their crucial Africa Cup of Nations match.

Nigeria football legend Austin Jay Jay Okocha is expecting a tough clash when the Super Eagles take on AFCON hosts, Ivory Coast on Thursday.

Ivory Coast and Nigeria will face off on Thursday in one of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations’ crunch ties in the group stage.

The streets of Cote d’Ivoire’s commercial capital, Abidjan, were agog on Wednesday as fans discussed and anticipated the epic clash between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and host Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday.

Yoane Wissa scored the equaliser as the Democratic Republic of Congo came from behind to draw 1-1 with Zambia in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.

Shock 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco cruised to a 3-0 win over 10-man Tanzania in San Pedro on Wednesday as they opened their Africa Cup of Nations Group F campaign.

Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro said Wednesday he had been left “confused” by reports that striker Umar Sadiq was set to return to action for his club Real Sociedad just days after pulling out of the Africa Cup of Nations due to injury.

The Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh, has urged the Super Eagles to reawaken the spirit of 2013 by beating Cote d’Ivoire when they meet on Thursday.

The coach of the Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, has confirmed that Alhassan Yusuf is out of the match against host, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, on Thursday at the Stade Olympique Alassan Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan.