Ivory Coast has won the African Cup of Nations for the third time in history thanks to a win in a Dutch-style final against Nigeria. The host country won 2-1 on the outskirts of Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast. In the group stage of the tournament, the Nigerians emerged victorious (1-0) in a showdown between the two West African football superpowers. Ivory Coast won its last African Cup in 2015.
Nigeria took the lead against odds in the first half thanks to a goal by Haarlem-born defender William Troost-Ekong, the son of a Dutch mother and a Nigerian father. The equalizer came after more than an hour. Midfielder Franck Kessié rewarded the dominance that Ivory Coast had for almost the entire match with the 1-1.
Late in the match, striker Sébastien Haller scored the winning goal for Ivory Coast. He came in front of his guard after a cross from the left and sent the ball with great feeling to the top right corner. Haller was born in France, the son of a French father and an Ivorian mother. He broke through as a footballer at FC Utrecht and recently also played at Ajax, which sold him to Borussia Dortmund after one season.
After two lost group matches, there was hardly anyone left in Ivory Coast who believed in success. After the humiliating defeat against Equatorial Guinea (4-0), national coach Jean-Louis Gasset had to resign and his assistant Emerse Faé was allowed to try in the knockout phase (where Ivory Coast still qualified as one of the best numbers three). The inexperienced coach from Nantes, France had never led a senior team before, but has now won his first top prize after four matches.
Also read
this profile about Haller during his period in Utrecht
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