February 12, 2024

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Ivory Coast’s Max-Alain Gradel lifts the trophy after a 2-1 victory in the African Cup of Nations final football match against Nigeria yesterday at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP):

Let the party begin.

Sebastien Haller scored late to lead hosts Ivory Coast to a remarkable Africa Cup of Nations title with a 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final yesterday.

Haller fired in from close range in the 81st minute to complete the turnaround after Franck Kessie drew the Elephants level in the 62nd.

It was Ivory Coast’s third title after wins in 1992 and 2015, both won on penalties.

Veteran Ivory Coast midfielder Max Gradel, now 36, was part of the 2015 championship team.

“Representing the national team is everything, and to have brought joy to all Ivorians with what I’ve done is even more incredible,” Gradel said yesterday. “Perhaps I don’t realise everything that happened today yet. There are things in my head, but I think I’ll take time to realise it.”

Haller’s second goal in as many games after recovering from an ankle injury that kept him out of the group stage completed a personal triumph for the player just over a year since he returned from cancer treatment.

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong had scored in the 38th against the run of play with a header to a corner. The Super Eagles had been outplayed in the first half and really only threatened again in a desperate attempt to equalise after Haller’s goal.

Troost-Ekong scored when the teams last met in the group stage for Nigeria’s 1-0 win. That match had been just the start of the Elephants’ troubles as Ivory Coast were almost eliminated in their next game.

They fired their coach but recorded late comeback wins over defending champion Senegal and Mali in the knockout stage before Haller fired them into the final with the winning goal against Congo in the semi-finals.

Ivory Coast’s unlikely progression through the knockout stage as they overcame setback after setback convinced many devout Ivorians that God was on their side.

“It was an extraordinary tournament,” said interim coach Emerse Fae, the previous assistant who took over on his 40th birthday.

Nigeria conceded as many goals in the final as they had in all their previous games in the tournament. Coach Jose Peseiro had banked on a mean defence to earn what would have been the Super Eagles’ fourth title.

“We played a fantastic tournament, but today Cote d’Ivoire was better,” Peseiro said. The Portuguese coach said the pressure got to his players and commended the hosts for showing none.

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