AFCON 2023 Final: Côte d'Ivoire beats Nigeria to capture African crown
The Elephants came from behind to beat Nigeria 2-1 to win their third CAF Africa Cup of Nations title on Sunday (11 February).
Football
Côte d'Ivoire delivered a fairy tale ending to the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Nigeria at home at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on Sunday (11 February).
The hosts scored two second-half goals to overcome the Super Eagles and capture their third AFCON title, adding to the continental victories in 1992 and 2015. Côte d'Ivoire tasted sweet revenge after their 1-0 defeat to the Nigerians in the group stages of the tournament.
The Ivorians navigated a treacherous path towards the final, including a change in head coach following their 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in their final group-stage match. The Ivory Coast sacked head coach Jean-Louis Gasset and replaced him with former midfielder Emerse Fae before they advanced to the last 16.
Gasset shepherded the Elephants into the final following a 1-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in the semi-final. Nigeria came into the contest as the favourites despite Côte d'Ivoire enjoying the home-ground advantage.
The hosts called the shots in the opening 15 minutes of the contest, where they made persistent assaults on the Nigerian goal.
But the Ivorians could not capitalise on all the possession they enjoyed in the first half of the match, with Nigeria getting the rub of the green late in the first stanza.
Nigerian captain William Troost-Ekong found the breakthrough against the flow of play in the 38th minute. Troost-Ekong found some air in the box, outjumping the Ivorian defenders to head the ball into the back of the net from a corner.
The goal lulled the stadium into silence as the hosts went into the half-time break trailing the Nigerians 1-0.
Ivory Coast clawed their way back into the contest courtesy of a Franck Kessie header in the 62nd minute to even the scores and reignite their hopes of a dream home victory.
The Elephants landed the knockout blow nine minutes from time courtesy of a Sebastien Haller goal. Haller hoofed a cross from Simon Adinga into the back of the net to bring the crowd to their feet.
Nigeria threatened to enforce the stalemate, but the Ivorian defence held firm to deny the Super Eagles a fourth AFCON crown. Instead, Ivory Coast completed a magnificent comeback to bow out as African champions for the third time.