Nigeria will be tested by debutants Madagascar in their final Group B clash on Sunday in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) .
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Team news and match facts
Madagascar
The debutants are having a fairy-tale in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. They are unbeaten in the 2019 AFCON campaign, drawing two all against Guinea, before securing a win against fellow debutants Burundi.
Madagascar could become the seventh nation to go unbeaten in their first three Africa Cup of Nations matches, and the first since Cape Verde in 2013.
They need a draw against Nigeria to book a place in the knockout stage. The last debutants to qualify for the knockout stage were Cape Verde in 2013.
The country is on a high after the celebrations of their Independence Day earlier this week, and Nicolas Dupais’s team have a chance to prolong the positive atmosphere back home.
Marco Ilaimaharitra: Madagascar’s landmark victory over Burundi – the nation’s first of any kind since October 2018 – came courtesy of Ilaimaharitra’s fine late free-kick, the Charleroi midfielder marking himself as one to be monitored with a thumping strike from the edge of the area.
Nigeria
Nigeria have already qualified for the knockout rounds, this being the 13th successive occasion in which they have advanced beyond the group stage.
Nigeria have struggled for goals over the past eight months, and their lack of a clinical touch has the potential to undermine their overall performances in this tournament.
However, two 1-0 wins have put the Super Eagles in a strong position to win this group, with anything less than that deemed to be a setback when considering where they would prefer to be placed in the knockout stages.
Ola Aina: Chelsea product Aina, a former England youth international now playing for Torino at club level, pinned his international allegiance to Nigeria in 2017 and has started both games in Egypt.
Head to head
Nigeria are undefeated against Madagascar in their past four games. Nigeria have won twice, with one ending in a draw.
