The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins on Saturday, January 13th with hosts Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau.
Daily Trust has compiled below the fact file of teams in Group A where Nigeria will battle to earn a place in the second round:
Nigeria
Qualifying results: Sierra Leone 2-1 3-2, Sao Tome e 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
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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
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