Ivory Coast Upset Odds To Beat Nigeria To AFCON Trophy
Ivory Coast have won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final on Sunday.
It is the third time the Ivorians have won Africa's flagship tournament after previous successes in 1992 and 2015.
But the Elephants had to things the hard way this time as they appeared to be crashing out as hosts by the end of the group stages following defeats to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
But after sacking coach Jean-Louis Gasset, Ivory Coast sneaked through as one of the four best third-placed teams and handed the managerial reigns to the inexperienced Emerse Fae.
They knocked out defending champions Senegal in the round of 16, Mali in the quarterfinals and DR Congo in the semi-finals before facing the Super Eagles once again in the final.
William Troost-Ekong gave Nigeria the lead just as he did in the group stages when the two sides met, but they could not hold on this time as Franck Kessie equalised and Sebastien Haller nicked a deserved winner nine minutes from time.
Ivory Coast are the first host nation to win AFCON since Egypt in 2006.
