Three-time Africa Cup of Nations winners, Nigeria, will play Equatorial Guinea on Sunday to start the latest edition of the tournament.
Nigeria won the competition in 1980, 1994, and 2013, and finished as runners-up in 1984, 1988, 1990, and 2000.
The Super Eagles will start the competition as one of the bookmakers’ favourites to go all the way to the trophy.
Up first for Nigeria are Equatorial Guinea, the 88th ranked team in international football, according to FIFA.
The National Thunder are aiming for an upset in their first match against FIFA’s 42nd ranked team.
Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea are joined in Group A by AFCON hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau.
It is a group that many onlookers will expect Nigeria and the Ivory Coast to emerge from.
On paper, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau will battle for third place. The tournament features 24 teams and the four-best third-place teams will qualify for the next phase.
Nigeria are not in good form ahead of the tournament’s start this weekend. The Super Eagles failed to win their last three games in all competitions.
A 1-1 draw with Lesotho was followed by a 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe. Both matches would have been seen as easy easy wins before kick off for Nigeria.
The Super Eagles most recently lost 2-0 to Guinea in an AFCON warm-up.
In comparison, Equatorial Guinea are in fine form ahead of Saturday’s game. The National Thunder are eight-matches unbeaten in all competitions.
In their pre-AFCON warm-up match, Equatorial Guinea drew 1-1 with Djibouti.
While Djibouti are not a power of African football, the result could provide the confidence boost Equatorial Guinea needed before the AFCON competition.
Equatorial Guinea played in three previous AFCON tournaments (2012, 2015, 2021) and each time reached the knockout phase.
Two years ago, Equatorial Guinea reached the quarterfinals. This is a team that could shock Group A.
The squad features some unfamiliar names. Deportivo Alaves goalkeeper Jesus Owono will anchor the side.
Carlos Akapo of San Jose Earthquakes and Basilio Ndong of Universitatea Craiova will help add solidity to the defence.
Nigeria have top players throughout the squad, including defender Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Joe Aribo, Frank Onyeka, Victor Osimhen, and captain Ahmed Musa. This is a strong squad on paper.
However, Nigeria’s issues aren’t typically whether the squad has good individual players. Their issues are about how the squad gels together in major tournaments.
Sunday’s game should be a slog for Nigeria, but they should find a goal to win the match 1-0. Equatorial Guinea will give the Super Eagles more than they can handle. However, Nigeria will find a goal to win.