2023 AFCON: Ex-Super Eagles’ Friday Ekpo Rules Out Nigeria

Retired Super Eagles player, Friday Ekpo, doesn’t see Nigeria winning the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which will commence in Ivory Coast on January 13.

Friday Ekpo believes that the trophy will most likely go to a country from northern Africa even though the tournament is held in West Africa.

This means that Northern African countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco are most likely to win the 2023 AFCON, according to Friday Ekpo’s Prediction.

“The North African countries are my favourites to win the AFCON because they have always been consistent,” he told Punch.

He continued, “Don’t forget the Ivorians are also there because they are the hosts, and they have quality players outside the continent. There will be so much pressure on them to at least get to the quarter-finals of the tournament, and once they do, they will believe they can win. I also see one of the underdogs causing an upset and going far.”

Based on the prediction from Friday Ekpo, the Super Eagles, who are aiming for their fourth AFCON after winning it in 1980, 1994, and 2013, have been ruled out.

The Nigerian team are in Group A alongside the hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.

Coach Jose Peseiro’s team will commence their campaign in the tournament against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, and then play the hosts at the 60,000-seat Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on January 18. They will play their last group stage game against Guinea-Bissau on January 22.

The post 2023 AFCON: Ex-Super Eagles’ Friday Ekpo Rules Out Nigeria appeared first on Naija News.