Sports Desk, Feb 12 (EFE).- Hosts Ivory Coast overcame many odds to beat Nigeria 2-1 in the Africa Cup of Nations final in Abidjan on Sunday to lift their third title in the continental showpiece tournament.
The team endured a rough patch in the group phase and qualified for the knockout stage as only one of the best third-place finishers.
They then dismissed coach Jean Louis Gasset and replaced him with Emerse Fae, who produced a miracle to take the team to the final.
Talented striker Simon Adingra produced two assists, while former Barcelona player Frank Kessie and Borussia Dortmund attacker Sebastian Haller converted them to help them win the third of their five finals.
Ivory Coast won the tournament in 1992 and 2015 but lost the finals in 2006 and 2012.
With their win, they ed Nigeria as the fourth-most successful team in the tournament, with three titles after Egypt, Cameroon, and Ghana.
Nigeria, favorites in the final having conceded just two goals in the tournament, took the lead in the 38th minute through captain William Troost-Ekong.
But the Ivorian team, the first host team to win the African Cup title since Egypt in 2006, equalized on the hour mark when a corner taken by Adingra was headed by Kessie at the near post.
The lead came nine minutes from the end when Adingra sent a measured to Haller in the center of the box from the left side.
The Dortmund attacker, who returned to the playing field a year ago after overcoming testicular cancer, anticipated the center backs and took the ball to the net to complete Ivory Coast’s miraculous journey. EFE
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