Nigeria vs Ivory Coast LIVE: Afcon final updates as Sebastien Haller’s late goal wins tournament for hosts
Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast: The tournament hosts come from behind to lift the Africa Cup of Nations for a third time
Ivory Coast win the Africa Cup of Nations after coming from behind to defeat Nigeria in the final at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
The hosts started as the better, more aggressive team, creating chances on goal and playing with a confidence that they’ve lacked throughout the rest of the tournament. The fans inside the stadium gave the match a lively and excitable atmosphere but Nigeria threatened to provide an upset.
In a rare attack up the pitch they won a corner that came curling onto the head of William Troost-Ekong who nodded it into the back of the net for the opener to give them the lead at half-time.
Ivory Coast didn’t give in. They came out for the second half with gusto and equalised through a set piece of their own. Franck Kessie drifting into space and powering a header into the deck before it bounced into the net. A sign of fate perhaps came at the end of the game. Sebastien Haller, who missed the start of the tournament through injury, stuck his foot onto a cross and turned it past Stanley Nwabali to decide the match.
Relive the Afcon final and get all the latest betting site offers here.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
27 mins: Ndicka and Osimhen clash after the forward felt he took a forearm to the back of his head. The referee does his best to separate the two.
That should add a bit more spice to the contest.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
24 mins: Nigeria haven’t managed to create a chance on goal yet - either on or off target. Ivory Coast meanwhile have had five with two being decent opportunities to score.
The Super Eagles will be patient though. Their quality up top and in defence means they may only need one chance to win this game.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
21 mins: Close! The corner ball is whipped into the penalty area and hits Evan Ndicka on the arm. It bounces loose and comes to Gradel who attempts an overhead kick from near the far post but sends the effort wide.
Ivory Coast are knocking on the door.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
19 mins: Zaidu Sanusi makes a mistake trying to head the ball back to his goalkeeper, Max Gradel nips in behind the defndder but just can’t reach the ball before it bounces out for a corner.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
16 mins: Nigeria’s first real foray into the Ivory Coast final third sees Samuel Chukwueze bring the ball through the middle before slipping a pass out to the left for Ademola Lookman.
He lifts a cross into the middle hoping to find Victor Osimhen but Evan Ndicka manages to get the ball clear before it reaches the striker.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
12 mins: Gradel gets forward down the right wing and sequeezes past Ademola Lookman before swinging in a cross. Haller is the target for Ivory Coast but the ball drops over the top of his head and Ola Aina boots the ball out of play.
Corner Ivory Coast.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
9 mins: Adingra takes his first shot at the target but lifts it up and over the goal. Calvin Bassesy is then punished for a foul over on Nigeria’s left side.
Ivory Coast win another free kick and are the team forcing the issue in these opening stages.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
6 mins: The Elephants win themselves a corner, their first of the match. It gets swung into the penalty area by Max-Alain Gradel but Alex Iwobi is on hand to nod it out of the penalty area.
The hosts recycle the ball with a pass out to Simon Adingra. He curls a pass into the middle but the ball just bobbles away from Sebastien Haller and heads wide.
Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
3 mins: Ivory Coast lost to Nigeria in the group stages but it was a fairly even contest. The tournament hosts have shown more threat in front of goal since the return of Sebastien Haller and will challenge the Super Eagles tonight.
Ivory Coast are getting on the ball and pushing high. They’ve won a couple of free kicks in dangerous areas but nothing has come from either.
Kick off! Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast
Nigeria get the match underway and work the ball over to the left side. They switch it quickly and probe the opposite wing but Ivory Coast recover possession and look to build out from the back.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies