23:13
The joy of Ivorian heroes, crowned at home
END. Back from hell, the Ivorians in paradise!
Unsinkable Ivory Coast, which has come a long way in this CAN but which offers itself a stunning new scenario in the final to snatch the continental title at home! Surprised in the first period by a generally harmless Nigeria, the Elephants showed character to turn the table. Franck Kessié from a corner (62nd) then Sébastien Haller (81st), already a hero in the half, scored the coronation goals, the third for the Ivorians after 1992 and 2015. They succeed Senegal.
90th+6: Yellow card for Fofana
The goalkeeper scrounges up precious seconds by taking his time to clear. The stadium is buzzing with impatience, ready to explode…
90th+4: It’s unbreathable
We feel that things could crack on one side or the other in this money time. Nigeria plays its best, Ivory Coast can also do very badly on the counterattack.
90th+2: New Ivorian change
We try to break the rhythm with this entry from Amani. He supports Seri for the last moments of this final.
90th+1: Additional time
No less than seven more minutes are granted by the fourth referee. A lot can still happen!
90th: Yellow card for Aina
Adingra turns his opponent’s head again, who loses control a little and mows him down. Deserved card, we must also highlight the enormous match of the Ivorian winger.
88th: The Ivorians respond with two entrants
Krasso and Sangaré enter in place of the hero Haller and Fofana, at the end of exhaustion.
87th: Double change for Nigeria
Aribo and Moffi take the places of Onyeka and Sanusi for the last minutes.
85th: The Nigerians waste the cartridges
Corners follow one after another for Nigeria, who give everything to equalize in this hectic end to the match. But this lacks precision.
83rd: A statue for Haller
Hero of the Ivory Coast in the semi-final already, Haller is offering a 3rd CAN to the Ivory Coast!
81st: BUUUUUT OF HALLER, 1-2 FOR THE IVORY COAST!!!
The stadium goes up in flames with this goal from the striker, the Ivorians go ahead!!! On yet another placed attack, Adingra made a new difference on the left and strong center. Haller cuts the trajectory and deflects the ball towards the opposite net!!!
80th: We take advantage of this for a double change on the Nigeria side
Yusuf and Ihenacho took the places of Iwobi and Lookman.
79th: The game is interrupted
Fofana and Osimhen collide in the air, the two men fall heavily on top of each other. The trainers intervene.
77th: The intense joy of the Ivorians after the equalizer
74th: Haller not far from an anthology goal!!
The stadium believed in a legendary moment, but the attacker, after a header from Adingra, took his chance with a returned scissors which went just wide!!
72e : Stat’
Kessié’s goal is the very first scored in a CAN final by Côte d’Ivoire, in five appearances. His two successes were won on penalties against Ghana (11-10 on penalties in 1992, 9-8 in 2015).
70th: Double change for the Ivorians
Aurier and Gradel give way to Rémois Diakité and Monegasque Singo.
68th: The head of Troost-Ekong
Lookman moves from the wing towards the center and eliminates Aurier, the full-back makes the mistake. On the free kick, Troost-Ekong wins in the air but does not lower his head enough.
65th: The whole of Ivory Coast is in a trance
What an atmosphere there is in Abidjan, where the whole public has been crazy since the equalizer. Fofana understood that something was happening and harangued the audience even more.
63rd: BUUUUT FROM KESSIE, COTE D’IVOIRE COMES BACK TO 1-1!!!
The stadium is going crazy as Kessié deceives Nwabali this time!!! Dropped at the far post on the following corner, the Ivorian midfielder places a diving header which deceives the Nigerian goalkeeper, the Elephants are back on track!!!
62nd: Nwabali still decisive!
The Nigerian goalkeeper is impassable! This time he repels a missile from Kossonou with a superb dive!
60th: Nwabali puts out the fire!!
Launched by Fofana, Adingra sows further discord in the area and crosses with a dived ball. Kessié throws himself and places a diving header a few meters from the goal, the Nigerian goalkeeper catches it on his line!!
58th: Seri’s firecracker!
Adingra is very prominent in this match and regularly makes differences. He finds Seri in the axis, who takes her chance from a distance with a missile. Out of frame.
57th: First change in this match
Extremely discreet on the Nigerian side, Chukwueze is replaced by Moses Simon from Nantes.
55th: Yellow card for Aurier and Nwabali
For getting a little heated, the two men received a warning each. Not jealous.
54th: No penalty according to VAR
The situation was reviewed on video, and Gradel seems to have touched his opponent’s foot himself in the process. Logical decision.
52nd: Penalty for Ivory Coast?
Contentious situation, as Gradel collapses in the area, visibly unbalanced by Sanusi. The referee doesn’t whistle anything, for the moment…
49th: Nigerian rescue on the line!!
Sort of a mini-corner for the Ivorians. Gradel’s cross is cleared but the ball returns to the left to Adingra. He accelerates and crosses hard, forcing Nwabali to push back… on Gradel, who then sees his shot pushed back on his line by Bassey!!
46th: Here we go again to Abidjan!
No changes to note, we left with the same 22. Reduced at the end of the period, Osimhen is still there.
21:54
MT. Troost-Ekong Nigerian hero
MT. Dominated, Nigeria surprises Ivory Coast
Intense and committed, this final clearly leans towards the side of the Ivorians in the game. But it is the Nigerians who return to the locker room with a short advantage after the goal of William Troost-Ekong (38th), scored completely against the flow of play. Sébastien Haller (7th) and Simon Adingra (34th) had the best situations but the dominating Elephants were surprised.
45th+5: Fofana from afar
The Ivorian number 6 takes his chance from very, very far away, but does not deceive Nwabali’s vigilance on this floating shot.
45th+3: The Ivorians lack inspiration
The break will do good for Seko Fofana’s partners, they are no longer able to make a difference and are playing less fair from now on.
45th+1: Additional time
Four more minutes are announced by the fourth referee. More fear than harm for Osimhen, already on his feet.
45th: Osimhen injured?
Big concern on the Nigerian side, the attacker fell badly after a duel with Aurier. He remains on the ground and requests the intervention of the stretcher…
44th: There is a little damage
Big shock in the air between Kessié and Bassey. The Nigerian defender struggled to recover and stayed on the ground for a while before getting up.
42nd: The Ivorians stunned
We will have to quickly get our heads back on track so as not to doubt too much on the side of the Elephants. The scenario of this first period is cruel for them.
40e : Super Captain’Ekong
The Nigerian defender scored his 3rd goal in this edition, it takes a huge weight off the shoulders of the Super Eagles.
38th: BUUUUUT OF TROOST-EKONG, 1-0 FOR NIGERIA!!!
Incredible, the Super Eagles did very badly on their first opportunity!! From a corner, the Ivorian defense clears poorly. In the duel with Aurier, the Nigerian captain took the best in the air and placed an unstoppable header for Fofana!!
36th: Possession Ivory Coast
The Ivorians had the ball 62% of the time in this final, which was largely dominated.
34e :La parade de Nwabali !!
The Ivorians have a huge new opportunity! Found on the left side by Kessié, Adingra crosses his shot from a tight angle, it takes the firm hand of the goalkeeper to prevent the Elephants from opening the score!!
31st: Nwabali releases the ball into his area
Alerted by Konan in depth, Adingra rushes towards the surface but is too short against the exit of the Nigerian goalkeeper… who curiously releases the ball. Fortunately without consequences.
28th: Card for the Nigerian coach
José Peseiro is furious after an intervention by the referee. He insults the fourth referee, the main referee comes to show him the yellow.
26th: Things are heating up on the pitch
Big altercation between Osimhen and Ndicka. The referee intervenes in the middle of a quickly formed crowd of players. No cardboard distributed.
24th: Superior Ivory Coast
The Elephants are delivering a convincing first part of the final for the moment, and do not seem to be crushed by popular pressure. The Super Eagles only manage to counterattack.
21st: Gradel’s return!
On the following corner, Aurier slightly misses his header at the far post but the rebound benefits Gradel, who does not hesitate to attempt the return. It’s a small trickle!
20th: Sanusi very feverish
Like his team, the Nigerian left-back shows excitement and misses his throw back towards his goalkeeper. He puts the ball directly into a corner.
17th: Nigeria well shaken
Osimhen is tired of being dominated and asks his partners to move up the block. The striker feels that the Ivorians are taking control of this final.
16e : Stat’
Only Egypt and Ghana have taken part in more finals (9) than Nigeria (8).
Ivory Coast is playing its 5th final. The first four all ended on penalties after a goalless draw.
