By Frank Kamuntu
Ivory Coast won the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday after beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final.
Nigeria’s skipper William Troost-Ekong gave his team the lead with a well-executed header seven minutes before halftime at Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
Nigerian goalie Stanley Nwabali and Ivory Coast captain Serge Aurier were both shown yellow cards in the 53rd minute after an argument.
Nwabali made several critical saves to prevent Ivory Coast from equalizing. But despite his best efforts, Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie’s bouncing header from the center of the box following a corner equalized the score in the 62nd minute.
Ivorian attacker Sebastien Haller’s spectacular bicycle kick missed Nigeria’s goal by inches in the 74th minute.
Haller then scored and completed Ivory Coast’s comeback with a lethal tap to Simon Adingra’s cross from close range in the 81st minute.
Ivory Coast clinched their third AFCON trophy after 1992 and 2015.
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