Sebastien Haller delivered a shocking last-minute victory as hosts Ivory Coast staged an exciting comeback to defeat Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria 2-1 in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations ultimate, finishing a unprecedented match turnaround to clinch their third continental title.
Nigeria appeared poised to copy their earlier 1-0 win over Ivory Coast on the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium within the group stage, with captain William Troost-Ekong, who had scored the decisive penalty in that encounter, nodding within the opener late within the first half.
However, Franck Kessie leveled the rating simply after the hour mark, and Haller transformed Simon Adingra’s cross within the 81st minute, igniting jubilant scenes among the many sea of orange within the Abidjan stands.
Ivory Coast’s triumph provides this 12 months’s title to their victories in 1992 and 2015, additionally equaling Nigeria’s three Cup of Nations triumphs total.
Despite being led by the reigning African Player of the Year, Osimhen, Nigeria had appeared because the match’s most formidable group all through the previous month.
But Ivory Coast’s sense of future was just too overpowering, as they grew to become the primary host nation to win the AFCON since 2006.
Didier Drogba captained the Elephants group that misplaced on penalties to Egypt in Cairo in that ultimate 18 years in the past, whereas this time he was among the many spectators to witness a shocking victory for his nation.
“It is greater than a fairytale,” stated coach Emerse Fae, who took over a stricken group mid-tournament.
“I’m struggling to take all of it in. When I take into consideration all we now have been by way of, the tough moments, moments once we had been behind, once we got here again within the final minute of video games.
“We are miracle survivors.”
Back from the brink
It is an unimaginable achievement for a aspect that was on the point of elimination within the group stage after dropping 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea on Jan. 22.
That was their heaviest-ever residence defeat and the Ivorians then parted firm with coach Jean-Louis Gasset, changing him with Fae, a teammate of Drogba’s in 2006.
They then started a outstanding turnaround which noticed them oust holders Senegal on penalties, beat Mali with a last-gasp purpose in further time, and edge out DR Congo with a Haller purpose within the final 4.
Their supporters packed out the stadium to its 60,000 capability, with many followers having to look at from vantage factors on stairways.
Anyone desirous to dampen the thrill ranges may need identified that Cup of Nations finals are usually low-scoring affairs.
There had been simply 10 objectives scored within the final 11 finals, 5 of which had been selected penalties after a 0-0 stalemate.
Indeed, Ivory Coast’s 4 earlier ultimate appearances had all ended goalless earlier than going to penalties, two of which they’d gained.
This regarded set to be one other nervy, low-scoring affair with probabilities few and much between early on.
However, the house aspect then had an awesome probability on 34 minutes when Kessie discovered Adingra on the left and his shot was turned away by Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
That proved essential as Nigeria went forward simply 4 minutes later when Ademola Lookman’s nook from the left was touched on and Troost-Ekong headed in from the sting of the six-yard space.
Earlier within the match, the Ivorians would have crumbled in such a state of affairs, however they deserve nice credit score for regrouping and throwing all the pieces at Nigeria.
Max-Alain Gradel’s net-bound shot was blocked in entrance of the road by Calvin Bassey 5 minutes after the restart earlier than Nwabali turned an Odilon Kossounou long-range piledriver across the put up on 62 minutes.
They drew degree from the nook which adopted that, as Kessie – whose late penalty had rescued the hosts towards Senegal within the final 16 – appeared on the again put up to move into the online.
It appeared inevitable {that a} second Ivory Coast purpose would comply with and it duly did with 9 minutes of the 90 left as Haller bought his studs to Adingra’s cross and diverted the ball into the far nook.
Behind for the primary time since their opening match, Nigeria couldn’t react, and Ivory Coast held on for victory.
“Ivory Coast were better than us today,” admitted Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro.
“I am sad, my team is sad, but for me they did the maximum, each one. Sometimes you want to do something but you cannot do it.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com