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ABIDJAN: The Africa Cup of Nations concludes on Sunday as Ivory Coast aim to complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes by becoming the first host nation to win the title in 18 years when they meet the Nigeria of Victor Osimhen in the final.
The match starts at 2000 GMT at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium on the outskirts of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s economic capital, the venue where Nigeria defeated the tournament hosts 1-0 during the group stage.
After a month of competition, the most thrilling AFCON in recent memory has thrown up a fascinating heavyweight final showdown between two West African footballing powerhouses.
Eleven years after they were last crowned continental champions, Nigeria are aiming to win their fourth title and in doing so match the tally of old rivals Ghana – only Egypt with seven, and Cameroon with five, have won the Cup of Nations more often.
Ivory Coast, meanwhile, will match Nigeria on three titles if they emerge victorious at the Cup of Nations for the first time since 2015.
The Elephants are the first host nation to make it to the final since 2006, when Egypt defeated the Ivorians on penalties in Cairo to take the trophy.
Yet they very nearly became just the second host country in 30 years to go out in the group stage after a disastrous 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea on January 22, their heaviest ever home defeat.
The shellshocked Ivorians parted company with coach Jean-Louis Gasset, all hope of reaching the last 16 apparently gone, before being rescued as a series of favourable results elsewhere allowed them to go through among the best third-placed sides.
Under interim coach Emerse Fae, their revival has been quite incredible.
Ivory Coast eliminated holders Senegal on penalties in capital Yamoussoukro in the last 16, then came from behind – despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half – to beat Mali 2-1 in Bouake in the quarter-finals, with a winner right at the end of extra time.
They then returned to Ebimpe to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo in the semis thanks to a solitary Sebastien Haller strike.
