Football Tips: Sunday night’s 14/1 Nigeria v Ivory Coast AFCON Final Bet Builder

Here's a few fancies for Sunday's final between two African footballing giants.

Nigeria v Ivory Coast AFCON Final bet builder tips, Sunday 11th February 2024

By / Football Tips / 3 months ago

Nigeria v Ivory Coast Bet Builder Tips

Nigeria to Win
Under 2.5 Goals
Ademola Lookman to Commit 2 or More Fouls
Victor Osimhen to Have 2 or More Shots on Target

All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Nigeria v Ivory Coast
AFCON Final match at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan
TV: Sky Sports, 8pm

Nigeria to Win

A lot has changed since Nigeria edged out a 1-0 win against Ivory Coast in the group stages last month, namely the sacking of Ivory Coast manager Jean-Louis Gasset following a disastrous 4-0 defeat against Guinea-Bissau that left the hosts on the brink of elimination.

However, the hosts squeaked through as one of the best third-placed teams and have since eliminated reigning champions Senegal, Mali, and DR Congo to reach a final on home soil.

Nigeria, on the other hand, have eliminated Cameroon, Angola, and South Africa to reach the showpiece event. The Super Eagles have been solid, if unspectacular, throughout the tournament and boast an incredibly solid spine with plenty of match-winners.

They are marginal favourites to win on Sunday and it is for good reason. They should have just about enough to repeat their group stage victory.

Under 2.5 Goals

Africa Cup of Nations finals are not known for being high-scoring affairs. Only one final since 2004 has seen more than two goals, with eight of the last nine finals seeing two goals or fewer.

Meanwhile, the knockout stages at the ongoing AFCON tournament has not exactly been goal-filled either. Of the 14 knockout games played to date, only four have seen more than two goals, with five games seeing one goal or fewer. Nigeria, in particular, have seen very little goals at the tournament.

The Super Eagles have scored in every game at AFCON so far but have only managed to score more than once in one game so far, while they have also kept four clean sheets.

Ivory Coast’s games have been a bit more exciting in terms of goals, with the hosts losing 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea in the group stages and beating Mali 2-1 in the last-eight, but they have still only scored six and conceded seven in six games at AFCON.

Nigeria emerged as narrow 1-0 victors when the sides met in the group stages earlier in the tournament and all signs point to another low-scoring affair on Sunday evening.

Ademola Lookman to Commit 2 or More Fouls

Nigeria have picked up 10 yellow cards in six games at AFCON so far, the third-highest total at the tournament, which is hardly surprising considering they have played more games than almost every other team.

However, they also average second-highest number of fouls per game, committing a staggering 18.5 fouls per 90 minutes at the tournament. Sunday’s final is unlikely to be any different.

With so much on the line, there is likely to be cynical and crunching tackles a plenty. Former Evertonian Ademola Lookman leads the team with 20 fouls in the competition so far and at least two more isn’t much to ask.

Victor Osimhen to Have 2 or More Shots on Target

It has been a disappointing tournament for Victor Osimhen in terms of finding the back of the net, but it has not been for want of trying. The Napoli striker opened his AFCON account in the opening game of the tournament, scoring Nigeria’s equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea, but he has not scored since.

Osimhen thought he had broken his mini-duck when he added a second in Nigeria’s semi-final clash with South Africa, only for the goal to be ruled out and South Africa to be awarded a penalty at the other end, turning a comfortable win into a nail-biting penalty shootout.

Osimhen averages the highest number of shots per game at the tournament, attempting an average of four shots in every game. He will be desperate to make his mark on the final and there is a good chance that he will register at least two shots on target.

Nigeria v Ivory Coast Bet Builder Tips

Nigeria to Win
Under 2.5 Goals
Ademola Lookman to Commit 2 or More Fouls
Victor Osimhen to have 2 or more Shots on Target

All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

SUNDAY’S FOOTBALL TIPS

READ MORE

The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com now

THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

What do you think?