Fact file of Super Eagles and Group opponents in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations can be accessed below.
NewsOnline Nigeria had earlier reported that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins on Saturday, January 13th with hosts Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau.
This Nigeria news platform has compiled below the fact file of teams in Group A where Nigeria will battle to earn a place in the second round:
SEE ALSO: Mikel Obi Predicts Nigeria To Win AFCON 2023
Nigeria
Qualifying results: Sierra Leone 2-1 3-2, Sao Tome Principe 6-0 10-0, Guinea-Bissau 0-1 1-0
Scorers: 10 – Victor Osimhen; 2 – Ademola Lookman, Terem Moffi, Moses Simon; 1 – Taiwo Awoniyi, Samuel Chukwueze, Emmanuel Dennis, Oghenekaro Etebo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi
Rankings: 6 Africa, 42 world
Key player: Victor Osimhen
Coach: Jose Peseiro (POR)
Previous appearances: 19
Best placing: Champions 1980, 1994, 2013
Nickname: Super Eagles
Squad (figure indicates shirt number)
Goalkeepers: 23-Stanley Nwabili (Chippa Utd/RSA), 16-Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba), 1-Francis Uzoho (Omonia/CYP)
Defenders: 2-Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest/ENG), 6-Semi Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), 20-Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista/POR), 21-Calvin Bassey (Fulham/ENG), 22-Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa/TUR), 13-Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista/POR), 12-Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce/TUR), 3-Zaidu Sanusi (Porto/POR), 5-William Troost-Ekong (PAOK/GRE)
Midfielders: 10-Joe Aribo (Southampton/ENG), 17-Alex Iwobi (Fulham), 25-Raphael Onyedika (Club Bruges/BEL), 8-Frank Onyeka (Brentford/ENG), 4-Alhaasan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp/BEL)
Forwards: 11-Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan/ITA), 14-Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City/ENG), 18-Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/ITA), 24-Terem Moffi (Nice/FRA), 7-Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor/TUR), 9-Victor Osimhen (Napoli/ITA), 15-Moses Simon (Nantes/FRA), 19-Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad/ESP)
Guinea-Bissau
Qualifying results: Sao Tome e Principe 5-1, 1-0, Sierra Leone 2-1 2-2, Nigeria 0-1 1-0
Scorers: 3 – Zinho Gano, Jorginho; 1 – Mama Balde, Zidane Banjagui, Franculino Dju, Nito Gomes, Alfa Semedo
Rankings: 21 Africa, 103 world
Key player: Mama Balde
Coach: Baciro Cande
Previous appearances: 3
Best placing: 1st round
Nickname: Djurtus (wild dogs)
Squad (figure indicates shirt number)
Goalkeepers: 12-Ouparine Djoco (Francs Borains/BEL), 23-Fernando Embadje (Deportivo Lugo/ESP), 1-Jonas Mendes (Kalamata/GRE)
Defenders: 2-Fali Cande (Metz/FRA), 4-Marcelo Djalo (Palencia/ESP), 15-Jefferson Encada (Pharco/EGY), 6-Nito Gomes (Maritimo/POR), 25-Edgar Ie (Basaksehir/TUR), 27-Prosper Mendy (Charleroi/BEL), 21-Nanu (Samsunspor/TUR), 22-Opa Sangante (Dunkerque/FRA)
Midfielders: 19-Janio Bikel (Gaziantep/TUR), 16-Moreto Cassama (Omonia Nicosia/CYP), 13-Carlos Gomes (Bolton Wanderers/ENG), 7-Dalcio Gomes (APOEL/CYP), 10-Carlos Mane (Kayserispor/TUR), 20-Sori Mane (Academico Viseu/POR), 8-Alfa Semedo (Al Tai/KSA), 14-Mauro Teixeira (Yverdon/SUI)
Forwards: 17-Mama Balde (Lyon/FRA), 26-Zidane Banjaqui (Feirense/POR), 3-Franculino Dju (Midtjylland/DEN), 9-Zinho Gano (Zulte Waregem/BEL), 18-Famana Quizera (Academico Viseu/POR), 11-Marciano Tchami (Almeria/ESP), 24-Ze Turbo (Pari Nizhny Novgorod/RUS)
Equatorial Guinea
Qualifying results: Tunisia 1-0 0-4, Libya 2-0 1-1, Botswana 2-0 3-2
Scorers: 2 – Fede Bikoro, Emilio Nsue; 1 – Saul Coco, Jose Elo, Iban Edu, Mohammed al Tuhami (LBA) own goal, Lebogang Ditsele (BOT) own goal
Rankings: 18 Africa, 88 world
Key player: Emilio Nsue
Coach: Juan Micha
Previous appearances: 3
Best placing: 4th, 2015
Nickname: National Thunder
Squad (figure indicates shirt number)
Goalkeepers: 13-Aitor Mbela (Asoneja/ESP), 1-Jesus Owono (Alaves/ESP), 23-Manuel Sapunga (Polokwane City/RSA)
Defenders: 15-Carlos Akapo (San Jose Earthquakes/USA), 3-Marvin Anieboh (Illescas/ESP), 5-Jose Elo (Merida/ESP), 11-Basilio Ndong (Universitatea Craiova/ROM), 12-Nduwuisi Ondo (Huddersfield Town/ENG), 21-Esteban Orozco (Arges Pitesti/ROM), 2-Nestor Senra (Real Aviles/ESP)
Midfielders: 14-Alex Balboa (Huesca/ESP), 4-Fede Bikoro (Club Africain/TUN), 20-Eneme Bocari (MFK Vyskov/CZE), 8-Yannick Buyla (Logrones/ESP), 6-Iban Edu (Miedz Legnica/POL), 22-Pablo Ganet (Alcoyano/ESP), 7-Jose Machin (Monza/ITA), 17-Jose Miranda (Niki Volou/GRE), 19-Luis Nlavo (Braga B/POR)
Forwards: 18-Noe Ela (Numancia/ESP), 10-Emilio Nsue (Intercity/ESP), 9-Salomon Obama (Santa Coloma/AND)
Ivory Coast
Qualifying results: Zambia 3-1 0-3, Lesotho 1-0 0-0, Comoros 3-1 2-0
Scorers: 3 – Ibrahim Sangare; 2 – Christian Kouame; 1 – Serge Aurier, Sebastien Haller, Franck Kessie, Jean Philippe Krasso
Rankings: 8 Africa, 49 world
Key player: Ibrahim Sangare
Coach: Jean-Louis Gasset (FRA)
Previous appearances: 24
Best placing: Champions 1992, 2015
Nickname: Elephants
Squad (figure indicates shirt number)
Goalkeepers: 1-Yahia Fofana (Angers/FRA), 16-Charles Folly (ASEC Mimosas), 23-Badra Ali Sangare (Sekhukhune Utd/RSA)
Defenders: 17-Serge Aurier, 12-Willy Boly (both Nottingham Forest/ENG), 26-Ismael Diallo (Hajduk Split/CRO), 2-Ousmane Diomande (Sporting Lisbon/POR), 3-Ghislain Konan (Al Fayha/KSA), 7-Odilon Kossounou (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), 21-Evan Ndicka (Roma/ITA), 5-Wilfried Singo (Monaco/FRA)
Midfielders: 27-Jean-Thierry Lazare Amani (Union Saint-Gilloise/BEL), 25-Idrissa Doumbia (Al Ahli/QAT), 6-Seko Fofana (Al Nassr/KSA), 8-Franck Kessie (Al Ahly/KSA), 18-Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest/ENG), 4-Jean-Michael Seri (Hull City/ENG)
Forwards: 24-Simon Adingra (Brighton/ENG), 9-Jonathan Bamba (Celta Vigo/ESP), 13-Jeremie Boga (Nice/FRA), 14-Oumar Diakite (Reims/FRA), 15-Max-Alain Gradel (Gaziantep/TUR), 22-Sebastien Haller (Borussia Dortmund/GER), 10-Karim Konate (Salzburg/AUT), 20-Christian Kouame (Fiorentina/ITA), 11-Jean Philippe Krasso (Red Star/SRB), 19-Nicolas Pepe (Trabzonspor/TUR)
Note: Ivory Coast were guaranteed a place at finals as hosts, but took part in qualifying to gain competitive match practice
