
Ivory Coast have won the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-1 win over the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Sunday February 11.
Sébastien Haller scored the triumphant goal for the hosts in the 81st minute with a superb finish after a magnificent work from Simon Adingra on the left wing.
William Troost-Ekong gave Nigeria the lead with a header from a corner in the Ivorian box. A front-post scramble between a few players saw the first conveyance circle out of sight, and the Nigeria captain hopped high to head the ball into the net.
Franck Kessié leveled from a Simon Adingra corner in the 62nd minute, before Haller’s late goal determined the destiny of the competition.
Ivory Coast Make A Massive Turnaround To Reach AFCON Final
The fans including Ivory Coast soccer legend Didier Drogba went ‘wild’ after the referee blew the whistle for the end of game and the competition as well.
The win marks Ivory Coast’s third AFCON win, carrying them level with Nigeria as the joint-fourth best team in competition history, and first since 2015. Only Ghana (4), Cameroon (5) and Egypt (7) have more. It is the fifth time Nigeria have missed the mark at the final obstacle of the competition.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was at the final, as was Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou.