It was a remarkable triumph for the Ivorians, who had faced adversity in their group stage with two defeats, including a humiliating 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea. However, they found their form in the knockout rounds and displayed a never-give-up attitude that ultimately led them to the title.
Nigeria took an early lead in the first half thanks to William Troost-Ekong’s header from Samuel Chukwueze’s flick-on from a corner. But Franck Kessie equalized for the Ivory Coast just past the hour-mark, being left unmarked at the back post from a set-piece.
The Ivorians have had to come from behind several times in the tournament, and they did it again when Haller steered Simon Adingra’s cross into the net. This goal delighted their rookie coach, Emerse Fae, who started the tournament as an assistant to Jean-Louis Gasset but took over after Gasset was sacked after the group stage.
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| Soccer Football – Africa Cup of Nations – Final – Nigeria v Ivory Coast – Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast – February 11, 2024 Ivory Coast’s Franck Kessie celebrates scoring their first goal. Photo: Reuters |
“It’s the power of the group and the mindset that got us through. We faced some challenging moments, but we managed to rescue ourselves. It wasn’t easy, but our mental fortitude helped us restore our chances and achieve what we did today,” said Adingra, who was named the man of the match.
Borussia Dortmund forward Haller’s journey has been inspiring. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July 2022 but managed to beat the disease. He has been a crucial player for the Ivorians, although he missed the start of the tournament due to an ankle injury. He made his first appearance in the last-16 win over defending champions Senegal.
The Ivorian side’s victory is a testament to their fighting spirit. They become the first home nation to lift the Cup of Nations since Egypt in 2006. Interestingly, all four of their previous continental finals resulted in goalless draws, with the Ivory Coast winning twice on penalties against Ghana in 1992 and 2015, and losing the other two.
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| Soccer Football – Africa Cup of Nations – Final – Nigeria v Ivory Coast – Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast – February 11, 2024 Ivory Coast’s Oumar Diakite celebrates after the match. Photo: Reuters |
The home side dominated much of the final, with Adingra coming close to scoring but being denied by a fine save from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. However, it was Nigeria who took the lead with their first shot on target, as Troost-Ekong headed the ball into the net from Ademola Lookman’s corner, flicked on by Chukwueze.
The hosts had a great opportunity to equalize early in the second half through Max Gradel, but his powerful shot was blocked by Calvin Bassey. Nwabali made another fantastic save from Adingra’s long-range shot, but the Ivory Coast equalized from the resulting corner when Kessie headed the ball into the net, left unmarked at the back post.
The home side pressed for the winning goal and came close when Haller attempted a spectacular overhead kick, but the ball went wide of the goal. However, Haller didn’t have to wait long to contribute to his team’s victory. Moments later, he steered Adingra’s whipped cross into the net, capping off a fantastic story.
“Our team had an excellent tournament, but today Ivory Coast was the better team,” said Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro. “We didn’t perform at our normal level. That’s the truth. It wasn’t the same level of performance as in the previous rounds.”
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| Soccer Football – Africa Cup of Nations – Final – Nigeria v Ivory Coast – Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast – February 11, 2024 Ivory Coast players celebrate after the match. Photo: Reuters |
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| Soccer Football – Africa Cup of Nations – Final – Nigeria v Ivory Coast – Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast – February 11, 2024 Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze remonstrates with Ivory Coast’s Seko Fofana and teammates. Photo: Reuters |
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| Soccer Football – Africa Cup of Nations – Final – Nigeria v Ivory Coast – Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast – February 11, 2024 Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and teammates look dejected after Ivory Coast’s Franck Kessie scores their first goal. Photo: Reuters |
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