The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Thursday secured a 1-0 victory over the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in their second group game in the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
William Troost-Ekong converted from the spot in the 54th minute after star striker Victor Osimhen was kicked in the box.
After starting their AFCON campaign with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, the Super Eagles held on in front of a raucous crowd to secure their first Group A victory.
Those two teams are tied for first place in the section with four points each, with Ivory Coast second with three and Guinea-Bissau eliminated after losing both games.
The Elephants of Cote D’ Ivoire are the first host nation to lose a match in the group phase of an AFCON since 2012, when Equatorial Guinea – co-hosts that year with Gabon –- went down 1-0 to Zambia.
The last host nation to go out in the first round was Gabon, eliminated with three draws in 2017.
