Afcon 2023: Nigeria don prove di 'whole world' wrong - Brown Ideye

Nigeria don prove all dia doubters wrong with dia performance for di 2023 Africa Cup of Nations for Ivory Coast, according to former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye.

Ranked 42nd for di world and sixth in Africa, di expectation bin no dey much from Jose Peseiro team afta some results wey no too bam - including two draws for di 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers - before di tournament begin last month.

"I no ever believe in dis team. Dia form before di tournament and injuries to key players no give anybody any hope," Ideye, wey be Nations Cup winner with Nigeria for 2013, tell BBC Sport Africa.

"Dem don prove a lot of us wrong by reaching di final. I dey really proud of di team."

Di three-time champions beat South Africa on penalties to reach Sunday final for Abidjan, wia dem go face di tournament hosts.

Both sides go renew dia rivalry for di biggest stage of African football, afta dem meet for di group stages.

For dat occasion di Super Eagles beat Ivory Coast 1-0, sake of one penalty wey defender William Troost-Ekong convert.

"Di final go dey different but di players must remain calm," Ideye wey play against a Didier Drogba-led Ivorian side for di 2013 Afcon tournament tok.

"Orange go full everywhere for di stadium on di final.

"Make di Eagles no fear. E go be difficult game but dis players don already show say dem understand wetin dey at stake."

Sunday final go be di eighth Nations Cup finals meeting between di west African rivals, with Nigeria boasting four wins and one draw from dia previous outings.

E go also be a first ever Afcon title decider between di kontries, with Nigeria making dia eighth appearance in di final.

Two-time champions Ivory Coast go become di first host nation to play in di final of dia own tournament, since Egypt do am for 2006.

Formation change 'never help' Osimhen

Nigeria campaign for di 2023 Nations Cup start with one 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea, with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen wey score di equaliser for di Super Eagles from a header.

Since den, di current African Footballer of di Year don struggle to add more goals to im name, despite im impressive work rate wey don result in one assist and two penalties wey e win for im team.

"Osimhen no fit do am all alone. Di change in formation never really help am play well and get chances to score," di former West Brom and Dynamo Kyiv forward Brown tok.

"Di 5-4-1 formation with one striker for front fit dey very tiring for a striker."

Osimhen, wey don dey unlucky as two of im goals dey ruled out by VAR, go dey expected to lead di Eagles campaign for di title for Abidjan on Sunday.

Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman na Nigeria top scorer for di finals with three goals.

"Lookman don dey like a great back up plan for di team. E don get an amazing tournament," Brown add.

"Di whole kontri (Nigeria) need dis trophy. E go bring so much joy to us."

Coach Jose Peseiro wey bin chop serious criticism for di team poor form in di build-up to di Nations Cup, don collect praise for turning di team around at a crucial period.

Di Super Eagles don score in all six matches for di tournament and don concede only two goals while recording four clean sheets.

"If Peseiro win Afcon, make e continue," Ideye suggest.

"If you no dey good, you no fit win a tournament as big as Afcon."

Nigeria currently dey third, behind Rwanda and South Africa, in Group C of 2026 World Cup qualifiers with two points from two matches.

Di Portuguese coach, wey never commit im future to di Super Eagles beyond di finals for Ivory Coast, fit get di task of helping di team renew dia qualification hope wen di next round of qualifiers happun for June.

Super Eagles pay respect to fans wey die during di ogbonge semi-final

Meanwhile, reports say four Nigerian football fans die while dem dey watch di Afcon semi-final match between di Super Eagles and South Africa on Wednesday.

Di Super Eagles pay tribute to dem inside one post on X, with a moment of silence wey dem observe in dia honour for di team camp for Ivory Coast.

"During di course of our semi-final match, we tragically lost few supporters," di statement tok.

"In a cruel twist of fate, dia strong passion for di beautiful game lead dem to dia final moments.

"As di Nigeria vs South Africa match dey happun, dem dey lost in di game, dem no expect di danger. May their souls find eternal peace, forever remembered for dia love of football and di togetherness e dey bring."