Hosts, Cote d’Ivoire hold on the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a final showdown in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday night at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
The tournament marked the 34th edition of the continent’s competition.
The Super Eagles are gunning for a fourth AFCON title, while the Elephants are seeking to have their third title, having only won in 1992 and 2015.
Both teams advanced from Group A, with Equatorial Guinea topping the table with a joint seven points and three goals difference. However, the Elephants made it out as the fourth third-place team.
See the team list:
- Stanley Nwabali
- Williams Troost-Ekong
- Semi Ajayi
- Calvin Bassey
- Sanusi Zaidu
- Frank Onyeka
- Alex Iwobi
- Ola Aina
- Ademola Lookman
- Samuel Chukwueze
- Victor Osimhen
Follow live updates below:
38′ 1 – 0 Goal! William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria) takes a shot which goes past the goalkeeper!
37′ Zaidu (Nigeria) expertly controls the pass inside the penalty area and shoots, but it’s inadvertently blocked a defender. The linesman makes the right call and Nigeria will have a corner.
35′ Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) swings in the corner kick, but one of the defenders leaps highest to head the ball away.
34′ Stanley Nwabili was forced into action to thwart Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast). He found himself some space after latching on to a pass and unleashed a shot to the right post but couldn’t beat the keeper. The referee and his assistant both point at the corner flag. Ivory Coast will have an opportunity to threaten the opposition’s goal.
Cooling break!
28′ Jose Peseiro is stunned as referee Dahane Beida shows him a yellow card. What was that for?
27′ Rough tackle by Victor Osimhen (Nigeria). The referee blows his whistle for a foul.
24′ Dahane Beida blows his whistle as Frank Onyeka (Nigeria) used excessive force in the tackle during an attack.
21′ Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) beats the defender to the ball in the box and shoots, but the ball flashes just wide of the left post.
21′ Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast) looks like he will be the one to try and deliver a quality ball into the penalty box from the corner kick.
19′ Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) makes a rough challenge and Dahane Beida blows his whistle for a foul.
17′ Ademola Lookman (Nigeria) swings in a cross, but the ball is cleared to safety by one of the defending players.
14′ Jean Michael Seri (Ivory Coast) shoots from the edge of the penalty area. The ball travels low towards the middle of the target, but Stanley Nwabili easily deals with the threat.
14′ The corner from Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) is intercepted by the defence.
13′ Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) sends a beautiful cross into the penalty area, but the opposition’s defence manages to clear the ball to safety. The ball goes out of play and Ivory Coast have been awarded a corner kick.
10′ Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast) is clearly asking for some medical attention with his painful gestures. The extent of his injury is yet to be discovered.
9′ Dahane Beida couldn’t ignore the rough tackle by Calvin Bassey (Nigeria) and blew his whistle. Ivory Coast will take a free kick.
8′ Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast) bursts into the box and only has the keeper to beat, but sends a poor shot well over the crossbar.
6′ Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) launches the ball from the resulting corner, but one of the defenders is first to the ball and deals with the threat.
6′ Max Gradel (Ivory Coast) looks to break free, but an opposing player clears the ball away. Ivory Coast win a corner.
2′ Frank Onyeka (Nigeria) deprives his opponent of the ball, but the referee blows his whistle for a foul. He’s not happy with the decision!
1′ The first half has just begun.
