Izuchukwu OkosiCote d’Ivoire’s star striker Sébastien Haller is hoping that the Elephants will exert revenge on Nigeria in Sunday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, reports Prime Business Africa.
Both teams had met in the group stage with Nigeria beating the tournament hosts 1-0 but Haller, who was out of the game for a considerable amount of time due to a testicular cancer he suffered at his German Bundesliga side, Borrusia Dortmund.
Haller scored the only goal in his team’s semifinals game against Congo DR with a spectacular half volley.
“It’s a final and you’re there to win it. We’ll analyse everything in order to gain our revenge,” Haller told the media in Bouake.
The Ivorians who won the title in 2012 and 2015 could become the first hosts to win the tournament since Egypt in 2006.
Haller acknowledges the quality of his teammates despite their average showings in the group stage, only relying on Morocco’s last group game victory to earn a place in the round of 16.
“We knew we had the potential to succeed and go far in the competition.
“The quality on the field is all over. There were lots of things missing from the start of the competition, and we have been trying to find the things that were missing to perform.”
For his challenging experience with the cancer, Haller recalls:
“Of course, you realise it is something really serious that is happening, that a lot of things can change,” Haller told BBC Sport last year.
“But the urologist helped me not to be scared. He said I could heal well. I took all his words for granted.”
Haller is expected to lead the line on Sunday evening with kick off time at 9pm Nigerian time.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
