Hosts Ivory Coast were crowned African champions after coming from behind to complete a fairy tale 2-1 win in the final of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Abidjan.
Unsung hero Franck Kessié and poster boy Sebastien Haller were the goalscorers for the Elephants, after Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong had put Nigeria in front.
It was only apt that Haller, who had only returned to football last year after a period out after being diagnosed with cancer, would score the goal that would win the game, it was a fairytale ending to one of many amazing Ivorian resurrection stories.
But this AFCON, arguably the greatest ever, was all about how the hosts rose from the ashes, and for the third time this tournament they came from behind to win a game.
While both teams went into the AFCON as two of the pre-tournament favourites, things had changed dramatically by the final group games. Both finalists were in Group A and while the Super Eagles were living up to early expectations, including beating the Ivorians 1-0, the hosts, who had started with a win over Guinea, were in trouble after following up that loss to Nigeria with a humiliating 4-0 defeat in their final round-robin game against group winners Equatorial Guinea. It looked like an early exit was on the cards.
As they waited to see if they would sneak into the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed teams, the Ivorian FA reacted by firing coach Jean-Louis Gasset. And so when they did eventually sneak into the last sixteen, as others failed in their respective groups, a nation erupted in celebration, but the team was without a coach. An attempt to get Herve Renard temporarily failed and so rookie-coach Emerson Fae was given the responsibility in the interim. It would be another fairytale story.
José Peseiro’s Nigeria continued to live up to their favourite tag in the knockout rounds as they comfortably beat Cameroon and Angola. Still, they needed a penalty shootout to get past surprise package South Africa in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, the re-energised Ivorians came back from the brink to stun both defending champions Senegal, via penalties, and Mali, in extra time, before Sebastien Haller steered them into the final with a win over DR Congo.
Nigeria were hunting for their fourth AFCON title, having won previously in 1980, 1994 and 2013, while the Ivorians were targeting a third title, having been champions in 1992 and 2015.
There would be no confusion as to who was the home team when the match kicked off. It was a full house at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara a sea of Orange, and the noise levels rose every time the Ivorians were on the ball, as they put on the early pressure.
But those early chances failed to trouble Stanley Nwabali, the Chippa United goalkeeper who has become a bit of a national hero thanks to his four clean sheets heading into the final.
It was an opening half-hour that belonged to the home team, with six attempts at goal, while the Super Eagles had failed to threaten Yahia Fofana’s goal, and Nwabali was called into action again in the 34th minute, making an excellent save to deny Simon Adingra’s shot from the left.
But then, against the run of play, Nigeria were awarded a corner in the 37th minute, and the Super Eagles’ captain William Troost-Ekong rose brilliantly to send in a looping header over Fofana to make it 1-0.
After having dominated the first half, the Ivorians looked to try to regain control before the break, but at half-time, the score remained 1-0 to Nigeria, who once again proved that you do not need possession, if you take the chances you get.
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The question in the second half was could the twelfth man help the Ivorians get back in the game, and continue their phoenix-like tale.
And the second half did start like the first, with the Elephants in control and driving forward. They had a good chance in the 49th minute but a last-ditch block from Calvin Bassey denied Max Gradel’s powerful strike.
The Ivorians continued to knock and knock, and Franck Kessié’s 59th-minute header was on target, but Nwabali had it easily covered. Two minutes later Nwabali made another good save to deny Simon Adingra, deflecting the ball behind.
But from the resulting corner, the goal that sent the stands into raptures finally came, as Kessié powerfully headed in past Nwabali to make it 1-1.
Troost-Ekong went close again with another header in the 68th minute, as the Super Eagles looked to silence the ever-increasing volume of the partisan supporters. Though Sebastien Haller’s bicycle kick attempt in the 74th minute almost raised that volume to maximum, but it flew wide of Nwabali’s goal.
Maximum volume was however reached in the 81st minute as the dangerous Simon Adingra whipped in a cross and Haller’s deft touch in front of Troost-Ekong steered the ball past Nwabali.
A desperate Nigeria tried to get back into the game, but now buoyed on by the energy of the crowd, the Ivorians defended bravely, and when the final whistle blew Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara erupted.
