An interesting AFCON 2023 fixture is on the cards as Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon.
Which of these teams will emerge victorious when it's all said and done?
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea overview
This Group A match will take place on Sunday, 14 January, at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium. Kick-off time is 15:00 GMT +1.
Nigeria
The Super Eagles will hope to halt their winless streak as they kick off their AFCON campaign. They have no wins in their last three matches, with two draws and a loss.
Equatorial Guinea
On the other hand, Equatorial Guinea have enjoyed some fine form in recent months. They are currently on a 10-match unbeaten run, with six wins and four draws.
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea head to head
If we're counting the African Nations Championships (CHAN), this will be the fourth encounter between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. The Super Eagles dominated previous skirmishes between these teams, with a perfect three wins from three.
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea potential lineups
The Super Eagles have been plagued by injuries a couple of weeks before their AFCON opener. They've lost Wilfred Ndidi, Umar Sadiq and Victor Boniface, while Kelechi Iheanacho remains questionable for this competition.
That said, José Peseiro‘s troops lined up in a 4-3-3 formation in their last two matches, and the Portuguese coach is expected to adopt the same formation.
Meanwhile, Juan Micha fancies the 4-2-3-1 formation, with Emilio Nsue being the lone striker. On that note, these are our probable Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea lineups:
Nigeria
Goalkeeper: Francis Uzoho.
Defenders: Bright Osayi-Samuel, Kenneth Omeruo, William Troost-Ekong, Zaidu Samusi.
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka, Chidozie Awaziem, Raphael Onyedika.
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon.
Equatorial Guinea
Goalkeeper: Jesus Owono.
Defenders: Basilio Ndong, Esteban Obiang, Marvin Anieboh, Carlos Akapo.
Midfielders: Federico Bikoro, Pablo Ganet, José Machín, Josete Miranda, Iban Salvador.
Forwards: Emilio Nsue.
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea tactical analysis
There have been a few concerns about the Super Eagles' inability to keep the goals out, as Peseiro's side saw their defence breached in 10 of their last 12 matches across all competitions.
Nigeria have also struggled in front of goal lately, scoring just twice in their last three matches. They had scored 14 times in four prior matches.
Equatorial Guinea have not particularly been a high-scoring side, as they scored a total of five goals in their last six matches.
However, a solid defence has been the cornerstone of their recent success. Micha's men kept three clean sheets in their last four matches, conceding just once.
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea prediction
Taking into account that Equatorial Guinea allowed just one goal in their last four matches, it's no surprise that they've been involved in a lot of low-scoring games lately.
As a matter of time, Equatorial Guinea's last six matches went below the 2.5 goal threshold, with four of those games going under 1.5.
Considering Nigeria's last three matches also hit the under, we don't think these teams will score up to three goals between them. With that being said, our Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea prediction is under 2.5 total goals.
Where to watch Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea live
Nigerian residents can catch all the action live on Supersport Football Plus, NTA Sports 24 and StarTimes Sports Premium.
On the other hand, fans from Equatorial Guinea can tune into Canal+ CAN and Supersport Football Plus for live coverage of this game. These are other live streaming options:
United Kingdom Sky Sports Mix, Sky Sports Red Button, Sky Go Extra.
Canada beIN Sports.
South Africa Supersport Football Plus, Supersport PSL.
Ghana Canal+, Supersport Football Plus.
France beIN Sports 1.
Additionally, this match will be available on beIN Sports Max 1 and beIN Sports Max 2 for fans who live in North African countries.
