Nigeria and Ivory Coast head into the AFCON quarterfinals with real momentum, and Salomon Kalou believes both West African giants are in the perfect position to capitalise. Speaking in his weekly blog with Duelbits, the former Chelsea forward said he feels both sides “have what it takes to go all the way” after composed, confident performances in the last round.
Kalou expects Nigeria’s meeting with Algeria to be the tightest contest of the quarterfinals, describing it as “the toughest game so far for both teams”, but he sees a slight edge for the Super Eagles. Their attacking players are hitting form at the right moment, and the team looks settled in a way Algeria haven’t quite managed. He also played down the fuss around Victor Osimhen’s heated exchange with Ademola Lookman, calling it nothing more than competitive fire. “That’s football… I like players who care,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s biggest task now is simply staying united. “They’re playing well enough to win AFCON, but only if everyone stays together.”
Ivory Coast’s 3–0 win over Burkina Faso was one of the standout performances of the last‑16, and Kalou believes it was more than just a strong result. “It was massive… performances like that send a message,” he said, highlighting the impact of Amad Diallo, Diomande and Toure, who all stepped up with the kind of confidence that can shift a tournament’s momentum.
Egypt, by contrast, were pushed to extra time and looked stretched late on, something Kalou thinks could matter now the margins are tightening. “Egypt had to go to extra time in their last match, so hopefully we’ll have more energy,” he said, noting that Ivory Coast’s young attackers look capable of deciding the tie if they hit the same level again.
Salomon Kalou has been consistent for weeks in backing Nigeria and Ivory Coast as the two sides with the clearest identity and the strongest match‑winners. With both opponents coming off gruelling extra‑time battles, the quarterfinals could open the door for the all‑West‑African showdown he’s been hinting at since the group stage.
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