10 years after, Ivoirians yet to forget 2013 AFCON loss to Eagles

Drogba looking dejected while his teammate was being consoled after the defeat to Super Eagles in Rustenburg

Ten years after their shock defeat by the Super Eagles in the quarterfinals of the 2013 African Cup of Nations, the people of Cote d’Ivoire are yet to get over it. The Elephants, who emerged champions two years later in 2015, will face the Super Eagles in the second group match next year, when they host the 2024 AFCON. The clash is generating heat ahead of the championship.

Head coach of the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, Jean Louis Gasset, says his squad won’t give the Super Eagles the room to repeat what transpired in 2013: “It won’t happen again. We are not scared of Nigeria.”

At South Africa 2013, the Ivoirian team, laced with top stars like Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Eboue, Yaya Toure, Cheick Tiote, Sol Bamba, Solomon Kalou and goalkeeper Boubacar Barry, were tagged favourites to carry the day, but late Coach Stephen Keshi’s side snatched victory, their fifth semifinals in seven Nations Cup appearances, having missed the 2012 edition co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

The Super Eagles went on to lift the title, beating the Stallions of Burkina Faso in the final.

Till date, the Ivoirians have not forgotten the humiliation the Elephants suffered in the battle of Rustenburg, particularly how a ‘little’ Sunday Mba raced the entire length of the Ivoirians own half, beat three defenders to unleash a powerful right footed drive that sealed Nigeria’s passage to the semifinals.

For coach Louis Gasset, the 2024 AFCON will be different: “It is up to us to show our level of play,” he said.

“We have a privilege because the match will be played at home, and in a packed stadium.

“I am not trying to dispatch the Nigerian team. No