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Live reporting by Joseph Kizza
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 1:48 AM 

Félicitations et au revoir!

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

As I sign out, I leave you with this delightful photo of a happy Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara handing the coveted trophy to captain Max-Alain Gradel.

Congratulations, Ivory Coast (The Elephants), for hosting a memorable tournament and congratulations for going all the way — against many odds — to lift the trophy. Hard luck Nigeria.

Au revoir!

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 1:45 AM 

🏆  34 AFCON titles, 15 different winners

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Thirty-four (34) Africa Cup of Nations titles have now been shared amongst 15 different nations.

With seven titles, Egypt top this exclusive list of winners of the continent's biggest football tournament, followed by Cameroon (5), Ghana (4) and then today's two finalists Nigeria (3) and Ivory Coast (3).

DR Congo and Algeria follow on two AFCON titles each.

The rest have won the tournament only once: reigning champions Senegal, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tunisia, Congo-Brazzaville, Zambia, Morocco and South Africa.
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 1:43 AM 

🥇  IVORY COAST LIFT 2023 AFCON TROPHY

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

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 1:40 AM 

🥈  Nigeria take 2023 AFCON silver

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

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 1:38 AM 

🇳🇬 Best player: Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The Player of the Tournament award goes to Nigeria's skipper William Troost-Ekong.

His goal in the final was not enough to win it for Super Eagles, having also scored twice before, but the PAOK defender will have been consoled by this individual recognition.
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 1:35 AM 

🇬🇶 Top goalscorer: Emilio Nsue (E.Guinea)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

On five goals, Equatorial Guinea's Emilio Nsue gets the Golden Boot, and the Equatoguinean forward is present to receive his prize.
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 1:32 AM 

🇿🇦  Best goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams (SA)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

And the award of the Goalkeeper of the Tournament goes to South Africa's Ronwen Williams.

His country, South Africa, also get the Fair Play award.
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 1:20 AM 

Man of the match: Adingra (Ivory Coast)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Fittingly, the man-of-the-match accolade goes to Simon Adingra (#24), whose industry saw him turn provider of Ivory Coast's two goals.

Fully deserved for the young man, aged just 22, with the distinctive tint in the hair.

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 1:13 AM 

IVORY COAST WIN THIRD AFCON TITLE

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Coming up next are the post-match formalities as the celebrations continue across Abidjan and the rest of Ivory Coast.

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 BREAKING NEWS 

IVORY COAST WIN THIRD AFCON TITLE

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Ivory Coast have become the first host nation to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 18 years.

The Elephants won the title in 1992, 2015 and now 2024.

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 BREAKING NEWS 

IVORY COAST WIN THIRD AFCON TITLE

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

And their goes Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida's final whistle!

Sebastien Haller's semifinal goal put Ivory Coast into the final and his second goal of this edition has clinched the title for The Elephants.

The Ivorians are champions!

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90 (+3) min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

It is two-way traffic now. The crowd is bubbling with anticipation.
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90 min

SEVEN MINUTES ADDED

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Nigeria have seven minutes to claw back into this one. Ivory Coast have as much time to hold on for their third title.
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89 min

🟨 YELLOW CARD - Aina (Nigeria)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Ola Aina takes one for the team as a Nigerian attack is stopped and Brighton forward Simon Adingra starts an Ivorian counterattack, only to be pulled back by the Nottingham Forest man.

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87 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho sees his fierce shot blocked by two Ivorian players. Cul-de-sac.
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85 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

A flurry of changes from both camps follow in these closing stages. Can Ivory Coast hold on?
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81 min

GOAL! - Haller (Ivory Coast)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Make that two for the hosts! Simon Adingra makes a great run into the box to release a cross into the half-attended near post but it is just enough for Sebatien Haller, under heavy pressure from Super Eagles captain Troost-Ekong, to toe the ball into the back of the net.

That's two goals for the Borussia Dortmund forward, as he becomes The Elephants' second player after Kessie to ever score in an AFCON final.

Comeback complete! The crowd is on its feet. Advantage Ivory Coast!

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78 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

OUCH! Victor Osimhen and Seko Fofana clash mid-air and both opposing players land hard on the ground and need swifting medical attention.

Eventually, they are patched up and back on their feet.

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75 min

COOLING BREAK

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Still an even contest, but with the momentum swaying the Ivorians' way.
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73 min

CHANCE! - Haller (Ivory Coast)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

That was so close to another goal as more persistent suring in front by the orange shirts sees a crossfield pass headed back into the area, but Sebastien Haller's brilliant bicycle kick is wide of the mark.

Had it gone into the back of the net, it would have been the Borussia Dortmund's forward's second of this tournament.
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71 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

It's an easy catch for Nigerian keeper Stanley Nwabali after patient buildup play by Ivory Coast ends with the ball being tossed from the right flank into the box.

It's hard to tell which way this contest is headed.
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69 min

SUBSTITUTION - Ivory Coast

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

It is a double substitution for The Elephants. Serge Aurier, who was booked earlier, and Max-Alain Gradel are off and on come Wilfried Singo and Oumar Diakite.
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66 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

It is now game on!

The largely partisan crowd is in full belief, as this action unfolds into what the neutrals would have so much desired.
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63 min

Kessie enters Ivorian history books

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

That goal means Franck Kessie (#8) has scored Ivory Coast's first ever goal at an AFCON final. All the previous four final appearances ended goalless and were decided by penalties:

▪️  1992 final against Ghana
▪️  2006 final against winners Egypt
▪️  2012 final against winners Zambia
▪️  2015 final against Ghana

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62 min

⚽️ GOAL -  Kessie (Ivory Coast)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-1 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Another setpiece for the Ivorians, with Adingra whipping in the corner kick and this time, Franck Kessie is bang on spot-on, his powerful header packing enough venom to beat the Nigerian goalstopper on the near post for the equaliser.

The crowd goes wild.

Retired Ivorian forward Digier Drogba leaps in jubilation!

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58 min

Substitution -  Nigeria

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Great work on the byline by the industrious Simon Adingra to cut off his minder and dink a cross into the path of teammate Franck Kessie, but the Al Ahly midfielder's flying header is too weak to bother goalkeeper Nwabali.

Gotta do better, Franck.
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55 min

Substitution -  Nigeria

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Super Eagles make reforms. AC Milan man Samuel Chukwueze is off and on comes Nantes forward Moses Simon.
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53 min

🟨 YELLOW CARD - Aurier (I. Coast)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Ivorian skipper Serge Aurier goes in referee Dahane Beida's book for his intense remonstrations after one of his players appeared to have been felled on the edge of the box a little while ago and drawing less than desired attention from the referee.

Testing the Mauritanian referee's patience, Aurier, eh?

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50 min

CLOSE! - Ivory Coast

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

It is more attacking impetus from The Elephants as a squared pass across the goal mouth finds Gradel, whose fierce ground shot is blocked by Fulham man Calvin Bassey to deflate its power inches from the goal line and allow Nigerian keeper Stanley Nwabali  to comfortably gather the ball.
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48 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The Ivorians hit the ground running here and get an early freekick on the byline after Zaidu Sanusi trips Max-Alain Gradel not far from the danger zone.

Gradel delivers the ball into the box, forcing a headed clearance by the Nigerian defence.
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 12:08 AM 

KICKOFF! - Second half under way

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The players are back out on the pitch for another 45 minutes of action —  or even more, if the contest is stretched into extra time.

Let's watch and see.

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 11:56 PM 

HALF TIME: Nigeria leading

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The Elephants bossed possession in that first half, but they did not make the dominance with the ball count.

Interestingly, no player has been booked despite the combustible nature of the contest that we have seen thus far.
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 11:53 PM 

HALF TIME: Nigeria leading

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

And that is it for the opening half as Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida signals a break to the action.

Plenty to talk about behind the scenes for both camps.

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45 (+3) min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Zaidu Sanusi hurtles into the ground after what appears to be a strong elbow challenge from Ivorian Franck Kessie, who is lucky that VAR does not give this incident much attention.
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45 (+2) min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The marauding Nigerian attacks have added a new dimension to this opening stanza that had started with a strong, dominant display from Ivory Coast.

The shift in momentum is also showing on the scoreline.
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45 min

FOUR MINUTES ADDED

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Something for Nigeria to worry about as Victor Osimhen requires on-pitch medical attention after crashing hard onto the turf in an aerial challenge for the ball with Ivorian skipper Serge Aurier.

He will be alright and back on his feet.

Four minutes have been added to this opening half.
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40 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Will The Elephants rue their missed chances?

They attempt to quickly claw back into this contest but once again, the green back line stops their advances.
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38 min

⚽️ GOAL! - Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)

🇳🇬 Nigeria 1-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

That was a strong header into the roof of the Ivorian net by Nigeria's captain William Troost-Ekong to give his side the lead. 

 His opposite, Serge Aurier, could not keep up with the aerial contest inside the box from a corner as Troost-Ekong headed in his third goal of this edition. His other two goals were penalties.

Liftoff for Super Eagles!

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33 min

CHANCE! - Ivory Coast

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

That should have been the opening goal, but mountain-of-a-man Stanley Nwabali puffs out just enough to block Simon Adingra's close range effort and superbly deny the Ivorians.

That was great vision from Franck Kessie to thread that long, low pass through to his teammate.
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30 min

COOLING BREAK

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Just in time to cool the tempers.
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27 min

🟨 YELLOW CARD - Nigeria coach

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

But that scene appears to have had a ripple effect on the touchline.

Nigeria's head coach Jose Peseiro, clearly unhappy, is booked for his dramatic remonstrations over the earlier incident, seemingly suggesting the referee ought to have issued a yellow to the Ivory Coast player.

Instead, he has a yellow card flashed in his face. Drama on the pitch, drama off the pitch.

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25 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Dramatic scenes as two Italy-based opponents clash: Roma man Evan Ndicka and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen clash over an aerial challenge for the ball.

The masked Nigerian felt his minder elbowed him on the back of the neck on his way up.

It gets feisty, but the referee arrives just in time to thaw the tensions with a stamp of his authority and eventually brings the action under control, calming the combustible environment.

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23 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The crowd suddenly burst into a massive cheer — not because of the action on the pitch. It is Ivorian head coach Emerse Fae's nice catch of the exiting ball that gets the partisan stadium excited there.
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20 min

CHANCE! - Ivory Coast

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

What was that Zaidu Sanusi?

The Nigerian defender heads the ball back to his keeper, Stanley Nwabali, but it is wide of the mark and nearly lands in the path of the sneaky Max-Alain Gradel, who runs out of ground to see the ball bounce safely out of play — much to the relief of Sanusi.

The resulting corner is whipped into the crowded area and Gradel's bouncy goal-bound header is volleyed into the side-netting. That was ominously close!
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17 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Now the Nigerians surge forward, which has been a rare sight in these opening periods.

Target man Victor Osimhen, masked as usual, has been quiet thus far, but he gets involved here, only that his Ivorian minders do just enough to clear the lingering threat.

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14 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Al Nassr man Seko Fofana goes crashing down in pain under a heavy challenge from  Frank Onyeka. Another freekick goes Ivory Coast's way and again, it is another fruitless delivery.
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12 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

There is plenty of goalmouth action on the Nigerian side of the pitch, with The Elephants on the receiving end of freekicks and corners. Yet, nothing to change the scoreline.

You can tell that Super Eagles have yet to lift off in this one.
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9 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Meanwhile, Calvin Bassey gets a stern talking to from referee Dahane Beida after the Nigerian man drags Franck Kessie to the floor, resulting in an Ivorian freekick from down the right flank.

The resulting ball is swept into the area, but the wall of green clear the danger.
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 11:06 PM 

CHANCE! - Ivory Coast

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The Ivorian crowd rises to its collective feet when the already busy Simon Adingra dances his way into the opposition's area to slip a cross into the path of Haller, but the Ivory Coast forward, under heavy pressure, fails to get his toe onto the pass.

So close!
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3 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Ivory Coast launch an early attack, with the tall imposing figure of Borussia Dortmund forward Sebastien Haller the target, but he can't get close enough to the aerial ball.

Nigerian keeper Stanley Nwabali is out to collect. It's a bit sloppy but he soon snuffs out the danger.

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2 min

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Early signs of the sort of physical nature to expect in this game as Nigerian Frank Onyeka  downs Simon Adingra towards the touchline.

Freekick to the Ivorians, decides the referee. Nothing comes out of the resulting delivery, which is expertly defended.

Promising start from the hosts.
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 11:01 PM 

KICKOFF!

🇳🇬 Nigeria 0-0 Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

The countdown we have grown used to and then Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida's whistle goes.

What a night ahead!

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 10:53 PM 

Right about time...

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

It's time to call out to the higher power. Kickoff is knocking.

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 10:29 PM 

Referee Dahane Beida in charge

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida, seen here handling the round of 16 match between Angola and Namibia, will be the man in charge of tonight's blockbuster.

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 10:17 PM 

 BREAKING NEWS 

The starting lineups

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Right then, less than an hour to kickoff means one thing: the starting lineups are out.

 NIGERIA 

Stanley Nwabali; Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong (C), Calvin Bassey; Ola Aina, Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Zaidu Sanusi; Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman

 IVORY COAST 

Yahia Fofana; Serge Aurier (C), Odilon Kossounou, Evan Ndicka, Ghislain Konan; Franck Kessie, Jean Michael Seri, Seko Fofana; Max-Alain Gradel, Sebastien Haller, Simon Adingra
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 10:02 PM 

High-stakes encounter

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Will The Elephants of Ivory Coast trumpet their way to a third AFCON title?

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 9:57 PM 

Closing ceremony begins

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

And the moment everyone has been waiting for is here. It is approaching 10pm here in Kampala and 7pm in Abidjan.

The tunes of Coco De Rasta by 71-year-old Ivorian reggae singer Alpha Blondy ring across the packed stadium.

"We're ready ready ready, ready to rock," the crowd sings passionately along, with Blondy leading them on the beautifully ornated stage.

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 9:52 PM 

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Who will be crowned the new African champions?

The last AFCON final was decided by a penalty shootout, with Senegal rising to the top ahead of record seven-time winners Egypt.

Here is how that final transpired.

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 9:46 PM 

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

The closing ceremony will be getting under way soon. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has arrived at the 60,000-seater stadium to cheer his side on.

It promises to be a tasty conclusion to this edition.

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 9:41 PM 

📸  An overdose of excitement

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

The mood in and around Alassane Ouattara Stadium is over the roof!

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 9:33 PM 

Haller eyes AFCON glory after cancer battle

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

No single player symbolizes Ivory Coast's remarkable turnaround to reach tonight's AFCON final quite like striker Sebastien Haller.

The 29-year-old was the host country's match-winner in the semi-final against DR Congo in his first start of the tournament after injury.

That came after a year marked by a return from cancer and then an agonising climax to the German Bundesliga title race with Borussia Dortmund.

Like Didier Drogba once upon a time, Haller is the poster boy of the Elephants team at this, their home Cup of Nations.

He appears on billboards across Abidjan, advertising anything from mineral water to deodorant and a major mobile phone operator.

"It's bizarre. I wasn't expecting that," he admitted ahead of the tournament when asked about seeing his face everywhere. "I need to use this notoriety to serve as an example to others."

Read more here.

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 9:23 PM 

Nigeria's coach Peseiro defies critics

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Nigeria's run to tonight's Africa Cup of Nations final against hosts Ivory Coast is a personal triumph for coach Jose Peseiro, the veteran from Portugal who had been the subject of stinging criticism in the run-up to the tournament.

The 63-year-old had been widely written off in Nigeria as the wrong man for the job long before they opened their AFCON campaign with a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in Abidjan on January 14.

Yet four weeks later, he is set to lead the Super Eagles out at the same Ebimpe Olympic Stadium for a showdown against the Ivorians as Africa's most populous country aims to become continental champions for the fourth time.

The way in which Peseiro has done it has been somewhat counter-intuitive.

Continue reading this story here.

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 9:17 PM 

Head-to-head history gives Nigeria the edge

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Tonight, Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast will be meeting in an AFCON game for the eighth time, having never previously met in a final of this continental competition before.

Here is their head-to-head record, which is tipping in favour of Super Eagles:

1980: Nigeria 0 Ivory Coast 0 (Group A)
1990: Nigeria 1 Ivory Coast 0 (Group A)
1994: Nigeria 2 Ivory Coast 2, Nigeria won 4-2 on penalties (Semi-final)
2006: Nigeria 0 Ivory Coast 1 (Semi-final)
2008: Nigeria 0 Ivory Coast 1 (Group B)
2013: Nigeria 2 Ivory Coast 1 (Quarter-final)
2024: Nigeria 1 Ivory Coast 0 (Group A)
2024: Nigeria vs Ivory Coast (final)

I wonder what's cooking inside Ivory Coast's head coach Emerse Fae's head. Hmm...

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 8:57 PM 

Unstoppable Lookman

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

For Nigeria, while their usual channel of goals (Osimhen) has not been at his production best, the team has thankfully had other options.

Osimhen's fellow Italy-based compatriot Ademola Lookman, who plays for Atalanta, has been banging in the goals. Now on a total of three goals, Lookman netted twice against Cameroon in the round of 16 as well as the winner against Angola in the quarterfinals.

Captain William Troost-Ekong's two goals have been from the penalty spot (2) while Osimhen's one goal and Guinea-Bissau's Opa Sangate's own goal are the other goals that have lifted Nigeria into the final.

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 8:24 PM 

Once again, Nigeria turn to Osimhen

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

If Ivory Coast win tonight, they will become the first host nation to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 18 years.

The hosts will be hoping that the ghosts that haunted them in their 0-1 group defeat against Nigeria a little over three weeks ago do not return to taunt them at the same venue.

Super Eagles, meanwhile, inspired by their talismanic forward Victor Osimhen, have their eyes firmly locked on a fourth AFCON title tonight. That will take them level with Ghana.

Napoli striker Osimhen, 25, has not been at his usual imperious best at this tournament (he has scored only once, never minding a host of legally disallowed goals), but there is little doubt about the amount of inspiration and industry that he has fuelled into this soaring Nigerian side.

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 8:05 PM 

Only hours away...

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

In the Ivorian city of Abidjan, all roads have been leading to Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe ahead of tonight's final showdown.

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 8:03 PM 

🦅 Super Eagles vs The Elephants 🐘

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Comparatively, this may seem a lopsided David vs Goliath duel on face value, but looks can be deceiving. Please don't fall for this, especially because our context is not one you would be enjoying on National Geographic.

Here, we are instead talking football and these two teams — Super Eagles of Nigeria and The Elephants of Ivory Coast — match up quite evenly.

While I may not explain to you why both sides picked the said animals for their respective nicknames, there is at least a thing or two we know about both these creatures.

 EAGLE 

For starters, eagles are one of the world's largest raptors and can reach altitudes over 10,000 feet. With laser-sharp vision, it is no wonder they are formidable and feared birds of prey.

At this AFCON edition in Ivory Coast, Nigeria have shown us exactly why they match the description of the eagle, first, by soaring through the group stage with relative easy.

Their campaign did not gain the sort of liftoff they would have desired when they were held 1-1 by Equatorial Guinea in their opener, but it was a result just enough to give José Peseiro's side enough power to get things started.

Their second game was a tricky duel with hosts Ivory Coast but they did well to silence the partisan crowd packed inside Alassane Ouattara Stadium with a 1-0 victory, before wrapping up their group stage with a 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau, thanks to an own goal.

Super Eagles continued to soar in the knockout stages, first by knocking out five-time champions Cameroon in the round of 16 and then edging out Angola in the quarterfinals to maintain their cruising speed.

Against South Africa in the semifinals, all the goals scored, including in regulation time, were scored from the penalty spot. Locked at 1-1 after extra time, Nigeria eventually emerged victorious, beating Bafana Bafana 4-2 on penalties to book their spot in tonight's final.

Now that's what eagles are all about!

 ELEPHANT 

Known as gentle giants of the wild, elephants, meanwhile, are the largest living land animals.

Their jumbo size also comes with very thick skin, about 2.5cm thick in most places — a feature that Ivory Coast have shown as having at this AFCON edition they have so wonderfully hosted.

Many people are easily thrown off by stinging criticism, especially when things go awfully wrong. Not this Ivorian side, who — against many odds — elected to roll with the punches and trumpet their way to the very end.

After cruising through their opening game against minnows Guinea-Bissau with a 2-0 victory, things suddenly took an ominously wrong turn for The Elephants.

What followed was a 0-1 defeat to Nigeria and a humbling 0-4 thrashing at the hands of Equatorial Guinea. That stang a lot and with all sorts of jabs darted their way, Ivory Coast's campaign was almost certainly over.

As a result, head coach Jean-Louis Gasset, 70, parted ways with the national team, paving the way for former midfielder Emerse Fae, 40, to guide the team into the uncertain knockout stage after fortune favoured the hosts and they managed to progress into the round of 16 through the back door.

But it was a perfect case of jumping out of the pan and into the fire.

Facing defending champions Senegal in the last-16 was not the most desired way to seek redemption, but the Ivorians banked on a late Franck Kessie equalizer to force the contest into extra time and consequently into a penalty shootout — which they won 5-4!

In the quarterfinals, The Elephants avoided a second penalty shootout in a row when a late winner by Oumar Diakite in extra time stoppage time sent them into the semis.

Close shaves, but it was working just fine for Fae and co.

The hosts finally secured their spot in tonight's final by knocking out DR Congo, thanks to a Sebastien Haller's lone goal.

Now that's how far thick skin can get you.

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 7:48 PM 

Eighth West African derby final

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

The Nigeria vs Cameroon duel has been the most common AFCON final involving two West African teams, with Super Eagles losing all three encounters against The Indomitable Lions (1984, 1988 and 2000).

In the other four previous West African derby finals, Ivory Coast twice beat Ghana (1992 and 2015 — on penalties on both occasion), Nigeria defeated Burkina Faso in 2013 and Cameroon overcame Senegal in 2002.

Four of these seven derbies were decided by a penalty shootout.

Tonight, we have yet another all-West African title decider. Who will reign supreme?

The last time Nigeria and Ivory Coast met was 24 days ago in this very competition's group stage (January 18). It was both team's second group game and after an opening half starved of goals, Super Eagles captain William Paul Troost-Ekong stepped forward to score the winner from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half.

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 7:34 PM 

🥉🇿🇦  South Africa take third place

Meanwhile, South Africa beat DR Congo 6-5 on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes to take bronze as the third place finishers of the competition.

For a second time in their AFCON history, the 1996 title winners finished third, having previously done so back in 2000 when they beat Tunisia 4-3 on penalties after extra time ended with the two sides still tied on 2-2 in Accra, the capital of co-hosts Ghana.

This time in Ivory Coast, an even 90-minute affair inside the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan went straight to penalties to decide the winner of third place.

After both sides missed one penalty apiece after a total of 10 penalty takes, it all came down to the sudden death. Russian roulette football style!

And once again, it was pleasant déjà vu for the South Africans as number one Ronwen Williams produced yet another of his goal-stopping heroics to deny the Congolese.

From then on, it was celebrations in the Bafana Bafana camp.

And one happy recipient of this raw joy was South Africa's head coach Hugo Broos, who was delightfully tossed in the air by his jubilant players on a night of collective triumph.

For two-time champions DR Congo, on the other hand, it was the second time in their history to lose a third-place playoff, having previously suffered a 2-5 defeat (then as Zaire) to Cameroon in 1972.

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 7:27 PM 

Three vs two

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

That can go different ways at the end of tonight's final showdown. Four versus two or three versus three.

In case I have lost you there, I am comparing the number of titles won by Nigeria with those taken by Ivory Coast.

In the context of continental glory, the Nigerians come into tonight's title decider with a slight edge over their opponents: Super Eagles have won AFCON three times before against The Elephants' two titles.

Nigeria won their first title in 1980 at their first final and as hosts, beating Algeria 3-0 in Lagos.

Their next title arrived 14 years later in Tunisia — sandwiching three final defeats — when they beat second-time finalists Zambia 2-1 in the 1994 title decider, with Emmanuel Amunike scoring twice.

Nigeria then had to wait another 10 editions (19) to once again taste continental success — their third. This was at the 2013 edition in South Africa when they edged first-time finalists Burkina Faso 1-0 in Johannesburg.

It's now five tournaments (11 years) since their last title and tonight, Super Eagles have the perfect opportunity to soar to title number four — and many, like this supporter, will be hoping that they do it again.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's latest opponents will be out to level their title head-to-head stats. Victory tonight for the Ivorians means they will be crowned AFCON champions for a third time, same as the Nigerians.

Similar to Super Eagles, The Elephants won their first title at their first final when they edged Ghana 11-10 on penalties after a goalless affair in the 1992 final showdown in Senegal.

Coincidentally, they faced the same opponent (Ghana) when they won the title again in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea. And in more eerily similar fashion to their first final encounter, the Ivorians again played out a goalless 120 minutes of football against Black Stars, before winning 9-8 on penalties.

This time, Ivory Coast have hosted the tournament.

Can they add the cherry on top of what has been a brilliantly organized competition with their third title?
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 7:20 PM 

33 AFCON titles, 15 different winners

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Thirty-three (33) Africa Cup of Nations titles have been shared amongst 15 different nations.

With seven titles, Egypt top this exclusive list of winners of the continent's biggest football tournament, followed by Cameroon (5), Ghana (4) and today's finalists Nigeria (3).

Today's other finalists Ivory Coast, DR Congo and Algeria follow on two AFCON titles each.

The rest have won the tournament only once: reigning champions Senegal, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tunisia, Congo-Brazzaville, Zambia, Morocco and South Africa.

Interestingly, of all the past winners, it is only Congo-Brazzaville that have not appeared in more than one final.

Also, there are five nations that have appeared at the final only once and never won it: Uganda, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Libya.

Yep, Uganda has been there before — 46 years ago to be precise — and lost 0-2 to hosts Ghana in Accra in the 1978 final.
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 7:11 PM 

Can't believe this is coming to an end!

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

The colour. The creativity. The flair. The whole vibe.

All good things must come to an end, but gosh will I struggle to come to terms with the fact that this addictive ebullience of the '12th player' in the stands will be whistled to an end at the conclusion of what has been a thrilling competition!

The supporters have surely outdone themselves.

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 7:05 PM 

Hello everyone

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Welcome to New Vision's live text commentary of tonight's final showdown of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations pitting two continental giants inside the sprawling Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

At the end of tonight, there will be only one team hoisting the coveted trophy into the night skies of Abidjan. Well, that's between Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast to sort out. We, on the other hand, can only be observers.

Kickoff is 11pm Ugandan time, which will be 8pm Abidjan time. But before the ball gets rolling, there will be some little matter of a closing ceremony to witness.

Expect some spectacular, dazzling pyrotechnical display of colour and creativity — similar to what we were treated to four weeks ago.

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 7:00 PM 

They both know how sweet victory tastes...

🇳🇬 Nigeria vs Ivory Coast 🇨🇮 (at 11pm EAT)

Nigeria in 1980, 1994 and 2013 as Africa Cup of Nations champions.

Ivory Coast in 1992 and 2015 as title winners.

But they are also no stranger to the bitter taste of defeat...

Nigeria in 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2000 as losing finalists.

Ivory Coast in 2006 and 2012 as defeated finalists.

Yep, Africa Cup of Nations title deciders always present a rollercoaster of emotions.

Expect the same tonight as two former champions lock horns from where it all started 29 days ago in Ivory Coast's largest city and economic centre, Abidjan, inside the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.